The interview process can be daunting. You’re sitting in a room with complete strangers while they ask you to talk about your professional experience and character. They watch your movements and gestures. They write down unknown statements on their yellow notepads with their ballpoint pens. They shake your hand at the end and say, ‘We’ll be in touch”.
You are not alone if this scenario sounds scary. Interview stress is quite normal. The good news is that knowing how to prepare for the interview can leave you feeling more confident and self-assured.There are several things you can do to prepare for your interview. Some suggestions from experts include:
Learn all you can about the organization. Interviewers love when you know what their organization is all about. You don’t want to end up speechless if you’re asked “What is your favorite part about our organization?” Doing your homework is important.
Think about the questions you might be asked and consider how you will respond. Check out these sample interview questions and have a friend or relative mock interview you as you practice your answers.
Prepare your clothes and make sure they are clean, pressed, and appropriate. If you would wear an outfit for a night on the town, it’s probably not interview appropriate. Ladies: do not wear open-toed shoes, sleeveless shirts, or flashy accessories. Gentlemen: many employers will prefer that you are clean shaven.
If you have a facial piercing, take it out.
Check your hygiene AND Absolutely no gum chewing.
Bring a copy of you resume or application, references, and a pad to take notes.
Monster offers information about interview questions, preparation, dress, and follow up. The US Dept of Labor also has information about different types of interviews and how to prepare.
Remember to plan how you will get to your interview before the day arrives. You may even want to take a trial run, especially if it is in a part of town that is unfamiliar to you. On the day of your interview, try to arrive about 10 – 15 minutes early. Once there, treat everyone you meet courteously and act like the professional that you are. After the interview, remember to send a thank you note – keep it short but remember to reiterate your interest in the job and refresh their memory of why you would make such a good addition to the organization.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
273,000 - NEW government jobs!!!
The Federal government is expected to hire nearly 273,000 new workers over the next three years, according to a report released on Thursday.
The 41% spike in job growth reflects "a need to replace retiring baby boomers and those leaving federal service for other reasons," according to the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, which surveyed the 35 federal agencies with more than 1,000 employees.
The agency posting the largest increase in the number of available "mission critical jobs" is the Department of Veteran Affairs, where more than 48,000 new workers are expected to be hired by 2012.
Most new hires will be from the public health field, with nearly 55,000 positions to be filled. In fact, more than half of the VA's hiring will come from the medical profession, with 25,000 nurses and 8,500 doctors needed to staff hospitals throughout the country.
"The biggest draw comes from the fact that we're fighting two wars," said Max Stier, president of the Partnership for Public Service. "There are a lot of returning service men and women who need medical professionals to take care of them."
The second largest need is for security and protection workers, with the Partnership for Public Service predicting 52,000 new hires. That is followed by compliance and enforcement officers (31,000), legal jobs (24,000) and administrative positions (17,000).
"This hiring surge comes at a time of high national unemployment and a renewed enthusiasm for public service," the report said. "For highly capable job seekers motivated by a desire to make a difference and improve the lives of Americans, there are no better possibilities than those provided in the federal civil service."
The federal government is currently the nation's largest employer, with 1.7 million employees. But this job growth does not necessarily imply that government is growing in size, according to the report: If all of the predicted positions are filled by the end of 2012, the federal government will still be smaller than it was during Lyndon B. Johnson's presidency.
"Agencies are adding new positions to meet an increased demand for services fueled by factors such as two prolonged wars, pressing homeland security needs and the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression," the report said.
These jobs won't be limited to the nation's capital, however. Almost 85% of federal jobs are outside of the D.C. area, and more than 44,000 government employees work abroad.
For more information on jobs and how to apply, visit usajobs.gov.
.
The 41% spike in job growth reflects "a need to replace retiring baby boomers and those leaving federal service for other reasons," according to the non-profit Partnership for Public Service, which surveyed the 35 federal agencies with more than 1,000 employees.
The agency posting the largest increase in the number of available "mission critical jobs" is the Department of Veteran Affairs, where more than 48,000 new workers are expected to be hired by 2012.
Most new hires will be from the public health field, with nearly 55,000 positions to be filled. In fact, more than half of the VA's hiring will come from the medical profession, with 25,000 nurses and 8,500 doctors needed to staff hospitals throughout the country.
"The biggest draw comes from the fact that we're fighting two wars," said Max Stier, president of the Partnership for Public Service. "There are a lot of returning service men and women who need medical professionals to take care of them."
The second largest need is for security and protection workers, with the Partnership for Public Service predicting 52,000 new hires. That is followed by compliance and enforcement officers (31,000), legal jobs (24,000) and administrative positions (17,000).
"This hiring surge comes at a time of high national unemployment and a renewed enthusiasm for public service," the report said. "For highly capable job seekers motivated by a desire to make a difference and improve the lives of Americans, there are no better possibilities than those provided in the federal civil service."
The federal government is currently the nation's largest employer, with 1.7 million employees. But this job growth does not necessarily imply that government is growing in size, according to the report: If all of the predicted positions are filled by the end of 2012, the federal government will still be smaller than it was during Lyndon B. Johnson's presidency.
"Agencies are adding new positions to meet an increased demand for services fueled by factors such as two prolonged wars, pressing homeland security needs and the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression," the report said.
These jobs won't be limited to the nation's capital, however. Almost 85% of federal jobs are outside of the D.C. area, and more than 44,000 government employees work abroad.
For more information on jobs and how to apply, visit usajobs.gov.
.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Deceptive Targets in the Job Hunt
Time is money -- whether you've got a job or not. While it may be tempting to chase down every possibility when you're searching for work, don't. Many can lead you down a blind alley -- where you may lose the contents of your wallet.
A focused search using tried and true methods, especially networking, will lead to your next job, not tactics that smack of desperation.
Avoid these five job-hunting "don'ts" that will yield the poorest of results, according to leading workplace advisor Liz Ryan.
1. Spray and pray.
Don't blindly send your resume unsolicited, electronically or otherwise, to any company without first making verbal contact. Says Ryan, founder of AskLizRyan.com, "Tossing out un-customized cover letters and undifferentiated resumes in huge volumes and crossing your fingers is a job-search non-starter. That doesn't work, and it hasn't worked in 10 years, or more." Establish a connection before sending a customized cover letter and, adds Ryan, "You can even customize your resume if a job opening calls for it."
2. Stand in line for a job fair.
Admits Ryan, "Sad to say, but most job fairs are a waste of time. Avoid the huge cattle call-type job fairs where zillions of employers have booths, yet no one is taking resumes." There are some job fairs that have value. Ryan, a former human resources executive, points to company-specific open hours and college placement job fairs. Tap your network to learn if anyone can recommend worthwhile fairs. "Ask around before you head off to a job fair or risk having your time wasted and your ego dashed."
3. Earn certifications nobody wants.
It's common to feel less-than-confident in your skills if you're having a hard time finding work, but don't rush out to spend money on any additional training unless you're certain it will yield improved results. Ryan reveals, "Before you sign up for a certification training program, check the job boards to make sure that employers are asking for it. There's no sense investing time and money in a certification no one wants."
If you're getting the hard-sell from an educational institution, Ryan says, "Ask the people at the school that's doing the certifying, 'Which local employers have hired your graduates in the past year?' If they can't tell you, run away."
4. Pay a headhunter.
Don't dole out money to any kind of recruiter or sign a contract agreeing to do so. "Real headhunters, also known as search consultants or third-party recruiters, won't take your money. They get paid by employers to fill open jobs." She warns, "If a recruiter calls or emails you to say s/he's got jobs open, and then invites you to his or her office for a counseling session and presents you with a range of career-coaching services, bolt for the exit. Real search professionals won't take a dime from their candidates."
5. Sign up with a resume fax-blast service.
This old-school -- and desperate -- tactic is a total turn-off to potential employers and smacks of spam. Ryan says, "Services that send out hundreds or thousands of your resumes might have been worthwhile 20 years ago. Today, they're worse than pointless, because it irks employers to get unsolicited resumes. Forget the fax-blast services and do your own careful research to reach decision-makers with messages they actually want to hear."
by Caroline M.L. Potter, Yahoo! HotJobs
A focused search using tried and true methods, especially networking, will lead to your next job, not tactics that smack of desperation.
Avoid these five job-hunting "don'ts" that will yield the poorest of results, according to leading workplace advisor Liz Ryan.
1. Spray and pray.
Don't blindly send your resume unsolicited, electronically or otherwise, to any company without first making verbal contact. Says Ryan, founder of AskLizRyan.com, "Tossing out un-customized cover letters and undifferentiated resumes in huge volumes and crossing your fingers is a job-search non-starter. That doesn't work, and it hasn't worked in 10 years, or more." Establish a connection before sending a customized cover letter and, adds Ryan, "You can even customize your resume if a job opening calls for it."
2. Stand in line for a job fair.
Admits Ryan, "Sad to say, but most job fairs are a waste of time. Avoid the huge cattle call-type job fairs where zillions of employers have booths, yet no one is taking resumes." There are some job fairs that have value. Ryan, a former human resources executive, points to company-specific open hours and college placement job fairs. Tap your network to learn if anyone can recommend worthwhile fairs. "Ask around before you head off to a job fair or risk having your time wasted and your ego dashed."
3. Earn certifications nobody wants.
It's common to feel less-than-confident in your skills if you're having a hard time finding work, but don't rush out to spend money on any additional training unless you're certain it will yield improved results. Ryan reveals, "Before you sign up for a certification training program, check the job boards to make sure that employers are asking for it. There's no sense investing time and money in a certification no one wants."
If you're getting the hard-sell from an educational institution, Ryan says, "Ask the people at the school that's doing the certifying, 'Which local employers have hired your graduates in the past year?' If they can't tell you, run away."
4. Pay a headhunter.
Don't dole out money to any kind of recruiter or sign a contract agreeing to do so. "Real headhunters, also known as search consultants or third-party recruiters, won't take your money. They get paid by employers to fill open jobs." She warns, "If a recruiter calls or emails you to say s/he's got jobs open, and then invites you to his or her office for a counseling session and presents you with a range of career-coaching services, bolt for the exit. Real search professionals won't take a dime from their candidates."
5. Sign up with a resume fax-blast service.
This old-school -- and desperate -- tactic is a total turn-off to potential employers and smacks of spam. Ryan says, "Services that send out hundreds or thousands of your resumes might have been worthwhile 20 years ago. Today, they're worse than pointless, because it irks employers to get unsolicited resumes. Forget the fax-blast services and do your own careful research to reach decision-makers with messages they actually want to hear."
by Caroline M.L. Potter, Yahoo! HotJobs
Monday, August 3, 2009
A point of view at least worth pondering ...
A point of view at least worth pondering. The author is Peter Schiff. He's always been a bit of a doom-sayer, but his first book Crash Proof: How to Profit from the Coming Economic Collapse, predated the market collapse by about a year. Hopefully, here, he's more wrong than right.
Have you heard the great news? The recession is over! It’s true; I saw it on TV. Why fret about growing unemployment lines when banks are paying big-time bonuses again?
Proof of the turn was apparently revealed by the 2nd quarter GDP figures that showed that the economy declined by only 1%. After four consecutive quarters of negative GDP, the green shoots now assure that growth will resume over the summer. But before we pop the corks, it may be worthwhile to ask, “what really has changed, and what is responsible for our new lease on life?”
In truth, because of the continued profligacy of the government and Federal Reserve, the imbalances that caused the current recession have actually worsened. We are now in an even deeper hole than when the crisis began. Rather than wrapping up a recession, we are actually sinking into a depression. If things look better now, it’s just because we are in the eye of the storm.
We must remember that recessions inevitably follow periods of artificial growth. During these booms, malinvestments are made which ultimately must be liquidated during the ensuing busts. In short, mistakes made during booms are corrected during busts – and in the recent boom we made some real whoppers. We borrowed and spent too much money, bought goods we couldn’t afford, built houses we couldn’t carry, and developed a service sector economy completely dependent on consumer credit and rising asset prices. All the while, we allowed our industrial base to crumble and our infrastructure to decay.
In order to lay the foundation for real and lasting recovery, market forces must be allowed to repair the damage. However, current policy is counterproductive to this end. Trillions in stimulus dollars have kept the party going, but now what? How does deficit spending by the government address the problems that brought about the crash? It doesn’t; it just delays and worsens the hangover.
By interfering with the unpleasant forces of the recession, we simply trade short-term gain for long-term pain. By propping up inefficient companies that should fail, we deprive more effective companies of the capital they need to grow. By holding up over-valued asset prices, we prevent the prudent or less well-off from snatching them up and, in doing so, creating a new price equilibrium based upon reality. By maintaining artificially low interest rates, we discourage the very savings that are so critical to capital formation and future economic growth. In addition, the false economic signals the Fed sends the market prevent a more efficient re-allocation of resources from taking place and leads to even more bad economic decision being made. By running such huge deficits, we further crowd-out private enterprise by making it harder for businesses to invest or hire.
The recently passed “cash for clunkers” program (currently on-hold, as it ran out of funding in one week) is a perfect example of how government policy can make the economy worse. By incentivizing Americans to destroy fully paid-for cars so they can go deeper into debt buying brand new ones, the government weakens an already crippled economy. The last thing we want to do is subsidize Americans to go deeper into debt by buying more stuff. Don’t they realize that is precisely the behavior that got us into this mess?
Think about it this way. If your friend were in trouble because he had too much debt, would you encourage him to take on even more? Wouldn’t a real sign of progress be a reduction of debt, even if he had to cut back on his everyday expenses? What is true for an individual is also true for a collection of individuals, even if they call themselves a “government.” If, as a country, we are even deeper into debt now than we were before, we are worse off. Period. The fact that the additional debt enabled better short-term GDP numbers is a long-term negative.
Since we have learned nothing from past mistakes, we are condemned to repeat them. As if we have not already suffered enough as a consequence of the Bush/Greenspan stimulus, Obama/Bernanke are giving ever-larger doses, which will prove lethal to any recovery . The recession is over; long live the depression!
Have you heard the great news? The recession is over! It’s true; I saw it on TV. Why fret about growing unemployment lines when banks are paying big-time bonuses again?
Proof of the turn was apparently revealed by the 2nd quarter GDP figures that showed that the economy declined by only 1%. After four consecutive quarters of negative GDP, the green shoots now assure that growth will resume over the summer. But before we pop the corks, it may be worthwhile to ask, “what really has changed, and what is responsible for our new lease on life?”
In truth, because of the continued profligacy of the government and Federal Reserve, the imbalances that caused the current recession have actually worsened. We are now in an even deeper hole than when the crisis began. Rather than wrapping up a recession, we are actually sinking into a depression. If things look better now, it’s just because we are in the eye of the storm.
We must remember that recessions inevitably follow periods of artificial growth. During these booms, malinvestments are made which ultimately must be liquidated during the ensuing busts. In short, mistakes made during booms are corrected during busts – and in the recent boom we made some real whoppers. We borrowed and spent too much money, bought goods we couldn’t afford, built houses we couldn’t carry, and developed a service sector economy completely dependent on consumer credit and rising asset prices. All the while, we allowed our industrial base to crumble and our infrastructure to decay.
In order to lay the foundation for real and lasting recovery, market forces must be allowed to repair the damage. However, current policy is counterproductive to this end. Trillions in stimulus dollars have kept the party going, but now what? How does deficit spending by the government address the problems that brought about the crash? It doesn’t; it just delays and worsens the hangover.
By interfering with the unpleasant forces of the recession, we simply trade short-term gain for long-term pain. By propping up inefficient companies that should fail, we deprive more effective companies of the capital they need to grow. By holding up over-valued asset prices, we prevent the prudent or less well-off from snatching them up and, in doing so, creating a new price equilibrium based upon reality. By maintaining artificially low interest rates, we discourage the very savings that are so critical to capital formation and future economic growth. In addition, the false economic signals the Fed sends the market prevent a more efficient re-allocation of resources from taking place and leads to even more bad economic decision being made. By running such huge deficits, we further crowd-out private enterprise by making it harder for businesses to invest or hire.
The recently passed “cash for clunkers” program (currently on-hold, as it ran out of funding in one week) is a perfect example of how government policy can make the economy worse. By incentivizing Americans to destroy fully paid-for cars so they can go deeper into debt buying brand new ones, the government weakens an already crippled economy. The last thing we want to do is subsidize Americans to go deeper into debt by buying more stuff. Don’t they realize that is precisely the behavior that got us into this mess?
Think about it this way. If your friend were in trouble because he had too much debt, would you encourage him to take on even more? Wouldn’t a real sign of progress be a reduction of debt, even if he had to cut back on his everyday expenses? What is true for an individual is also true for a collection of individuals, even if they call themselves a “government.” If, as a country, we are even deeper into debt now than we were before, we are worse off. Period. The fact that the additional debt enabled better short-term GDP numbers is a long-term negative.
Since we have learned nothing from past mistakes, we are condemned to repeat them. As if we have not already suffered enough as a consequence of the Bush/Greenspan stimulus, Obama/Bernanke are giving ever-larger doses, which will prove lethal to any recovery . The recession is over; long live the depression!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Secret Shopper Scams and How to Avoid Them
Did You Know?: Secret Shopper Scams and How to Avoid Them
With more and more people seeking employment, some scams are touching more victims than ever before. A scam known as the “Secret Shopper” scam is one of these. This scam appeals to people trying to make money — up to $700 a week, some ads claim — by shopping at certain stores and then writing a comprehensive review. A number of these Secret Shopper companies even provide detailed information about clients and Better Business Bureau ID numbers. The real secret is, however, that all of this information is fake and part of a scam to rob victims of potentially thousands of dollars! Find out what to look for to avoid falling prey to this sneaky con.
Even though this scam can go by a number of different company names, each incident has certain factors in common. After signing up as a secret shopper, victims are always asked to try out money transfer services. The company either wires money or sends a check to the victim’s account, asking them to take out a portion as their salary and wire the rest back to the company. Sounds harmless, right? Within weeks, victims receive calls that the money they received was stolen from another account, and now it’s their responsibility to replace it. Victims are left owing thousands to the bank, while the fake company is nowhere to be found.
The Better Business Bureau has called this trick the #1 scam in certain areas. While there are still a number of legitimate mystery shopping companies out there, this scam has a tell-tale sign: if you’re asked to wire money back to the company, it’s a scam. Be sure to report the incident to the Better Business Bureau in your state and don’t take any further action. And remember, if you are uncertain about an offer or job, research it and trust your instincts. It’s better to question a legitimate opportunity than fall prey to the latest scam.
With more and more people seeking employment, some scams are touching more victims than ever before. A scam known as the “Secret Shopper” scam is one of these. This scam appeals to people trying to make money — up to $700 a week, some ads claim — by shopping at certain stores and then writing a comprehensive review. A number of these Secret Shopper companies even provide detailed information about clients and Better Business Bureau ID numbers. The real secret is, however, that all of this information is fake and part of a scam to rob victims of potentially thousands of dollars! Find out what to look for to avoid falling prey to this sneaky con.
Even though this scam can go by a number of different company names, each incident has certain factors in common. After signing up as a secret shopper, victims are always asked to try out money transfer services. The company either wires money or sends a check to the victim’s account, asking them to take out a portion as their salary and wire the rest back to the company. Sounds harmless, right? Within weeks, victims receive calls that the money they received was stolen from another account, and now it’s their responsibility to replace it. Victims are left owing thousands to the bank, while the fake company is nowhere to be found.
The Better Business Bureau has called this trick the #1 scam in certain areas. While there are still a number of legitimate mystery shopping companies out there, this scam has a tell-tale sign: if you’re asked to wire money back to the company, it’s a scam. Be sure to report the incident to the Better Business Bureau in your state and don’t take any further action. And remember, if you are uncertain about an offer or job, research it and trust your instincts. It’s better to question a legitimate opportunity than fall prey to the latest scam.
Identity Thieves Target Job Seekers: How to Stay Safe
Identity Thieves Target Job Seekers: How to Stay Safe
In today’s economy, many people are looking for a new job or a second job to help supplement their income. Thanks to online job posting sites, it’s never been easier to surf the Web for your next career. Unfortunately, this convenience has also led to a slew of scams that take advantage of job seekers by stealing sensitive personal information — the first step of identity theft. The prevalence of fake job ads has increased in recent years. While a number of these scams are quite elaborate and can often times look legitimate, there are ways to tell real job opportunities from tricky identity theft tactics.
Whether it’s under the guise of a background check or a work-at-home opportunity, when it comes to online job searching, there are many potential identity theft scams. Usually, however, they tend to share certain aspects in common that can serve as a red flag.
Avoid any circumstance where a company asks for your Social Security number, bank account numbers, PIN, driver’s license number or other sensitive personal information up front. They may ask for this information in order to do a “background check” or in order to grant you access to parts of the company’s site. In reality, these are just tactics to get your personal information. Almost no company would hire you from your resume alone, sight unseen. Don’t let your excitement about a potential job opportunity cloud your good judgment.
Keep your eyes peeled for poor spelling and grammar as well as jobs based out of developing countries. While there are certainly jobs available across the world — and none of us are immune to the occasional typo — these factors may be able to tip you off to a job scam. If anything about the listing seems suspicious, look into it further.
Consider opening a separate e-mail account from which to submit your resume and apply for jobs. This will help reduce the incidence of spam and the potential for phishing (fake emails that appear to be from a reliable source designed to acquire personal information). It can also help you keep all of your information consolidated and easy to access.
When in doubt, research the company to which you are applying thoroughly. Most reputable companies should have a presence on the Internet beyond a single Web site (anyone can create a fraudulent site). Similarly, make sure that your contact person actually works for the company in question. If you can’t discern this from the Web site, feel free to call the company’s main line and ask for this person. Be wary of any personal e-mail addresses or phone/fax numbers with area codes inconsistent with the company’s location.
Finally, avoid positions such as “Payment Representative” or “Accounts Receivable Clerk” for any but the most reputable companies. A number of “money mule” scams use unsuspecting victims to transfer laundered money, leaving the victim a responsible party and vulnerable to legal proceedings.
In today’s economy, many people are looking for a new job or a second job to help supplement their income. Thanks to online job posting sites, it’s never been easier to surf the Web for your next career. Unfortunately, this convenience has also led to a slew of scams that take advantage of job seekers by stealing sensitive personal information — the first step of identity theft. The prevalence of fake job ads has increased in recent years. While a number of these scams are quite elaborate and can often times look legitimate, there are ways to tell real job opportunities from tricky identity theft tactics.
Whether it’s under the guise of a background check or a work-at-home opportunity, when it comes to online job searching, there are many potential identity theft scams. Usually, however, they tend to share certain aspects in common that can serve as a red flag.
Avoid any circumstance where a company asks for your Social Security number, bank account numbers, PIN, driver’s license number or other sensitive personal information up front. They may ask for this information in order to do a “background check” or in order to grant you access to parts of the company’s site. In reality, these are just tactics to get your personal information. Almost no company would hire you from your resume alone, sight unseen. Don’t let your excitement about a potential job opportunity cloud your good judgment.
Keep your eyes peeled for poor spelling and grammar as well as jobs based out of developing countries. While there are certainly jobs available across the world — and none of us are immune to the occasional typo — these factors may be able to tip you off to a job scam. If anything about the listing seems suspicious, look into it further.
Consider opening a separate e-mail account from which to submit your resume and apply for jobs. This will help reduce the incidence of spam and the potential for phishing (fake emails that appear to be from a reliable source designed to acquire personal information). It can also help you keep all of your information consolidated and easy to access.
When in doubt, research the company to which you are applying thoroughly. Most reputable companies should have a presence on the Internet beyond a single Web site (anyone can create a fraudulent site). Similarly, make sure that your contact person actually works for the company in question. If you can’t discern this from the Web site, feel free to call the company’s main line and ask for this person. Be wary of any personal e-mail addresses or phone/fax numbers with area codes inconsistent with the company’s location.
Finally, avoid positions such as “Payment Representative” or “Accounts Receivable Clerk” for any but the most reputable companies. A number of “money mule” scams use unsuspecting victims to transfer laundered money, leaving the victim a responsible party and vulnerable to legal proceedings.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Help for Hard Times - Resource Guide
Please visit
http://www.unitedwayoc.org
Then "click on" Help for Hard Times Resource Guide on the lower left hand side of the home page.
http://www.unitedwayoc.org
Then "click on" Help for Hard Times Resource Guide on the lower left hand side of the home page.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Serious job hunters
My 10 Top Job Hunting Tactics
http://MyTop10JobHuntingTactics.ZaleTabakman.ca
A core reason people are taking so long to find a job is that they are using a single tactic called "Click and Apply" and that approach doesn't work.
Serious job hunters understand why "Click and Apply" is the least likely way to get a job and it doesn't have anything to do with the quality of the resume, cover letter, or skills set.
It has to do with the process:
1. Thousands of other people, both qualified and unqualified, are seeing the same job posting and are simply hitting the button that says "Click and Apply". Therefore, you are in a queue of potentially thousands of resumes. The more successful the board, the greater the number of resumes.
2. One of two approaches are used by a hiring authority swamped with thousands of resumes: (a) They need use software to scan for keywords, or (b) the first 25 candidates that they find that meet the job hunting criteria, get to move to the next step. In the first scenario if your resume is missing a keyword, you are out of luck, in the second scenario, if your resume is too low in the pile, you are out of luck. And it may be due to timing, since the resume may be sorted by last name, telephone number, distance from location, years experience, or any other criteria that might be important to the company.
3. Another problem is who does the first review of the resume. The first selection is probably being done by a junior employee to weed out the totally inappropriate people.That junior employee may not be able to relate how your experience relates to the job, unless its spelled out explicitly.
4. Another challenge to "Click and Apply" is how much time a single person give to each of thousands of resumes that are used to create the short list. Unless your resume quickly gets the attention of the reader, its almost impossible. Subtle wording does not work.
Its been my experience that many job hunters only know "Click and Apply" and "Networking" as their job hunt tactics. There are hundreds of job hunting tactics available, but the biggest stopper for most people is that they haven't learned the correct way of thinking about their job hunt.
Here are my top 10 ways a job hunter must think:
The job hunter has courage. You need to be brave and do things you haven't done before. This courage will help you move beyond your comfort zone.
The job hunter focuses on the opportunities. In every economic cycle there are winners and their are losers. Companies grow and companies fail. Even 100 year old companies fail. Its just like a forest. Old trees fall and new trees come up. For years people thought forest fires were evil (its called the Bambi syndrome), but the latest forest management techniques allow forest fires to rage, the forest fire is healthy for the forest and for the environment. Unemployment has the same potential, unemployment is traumatic, its painful, and its massively difficult in the short term, but unemployment has the potential to be exceedingly healthy in the long term. Think about your role in the current economic forest fire, are you going to see it as opportunity to grow or a situation where you are going down in flames?
The job hunter understands they have choices. This thinking is one step further along than focusing on the opportunities. The job hunter recognizes each day of the job hunt they have a choice. They can choose to grow or stay stagnant. The job hunter can choose to find a contact in a company they want to work for or they can choose to go for coffee with unemployed friends and complain. The job hunter can choose to chase any job or find a job they want and are good at. Th job hunter can choose to see unemployment as an opportunity to change their life for the better, or a huge problem dumped on them. Not all choices are enjoyable, not all choices are fun to make, but each and every day we are presented with choices.
The job hunter acts everyday outside their comfort zone. There is an old question that you must ask yourself, "If you don't like the results you are getting from your current ways of doing things, why do you continue to do them? " There are three typical answers, (a) I don't know any different ways, (b) its too hard for me to change, and (c) I am making progress (but in reality are measuring the wrong thing). You need to answer this question deeply. Here is a method to help get to the correct answers, imagine you were in a trial and a prosecutor will put you in jail, unless your answer can convince them otherwise.
The job hunter knows exactly the kind of job they want. This is part of the goal setting. If you know exactly what job you want, it becomes easier to find it. You can and will develop a list of questions and milestones to get you closer to that job.
The job hunter sets a deadline to find a job. This one really throws many job hunters for a loop because they think finding a job is out of their control. Its not. If you set a real deadline, and I suggest 66 days, then, your mind will start to do whatever it takes to meet that deadline. You have been their before, you know if you have a hard deadline, somehow, it gets done, by that date. Your mind will start to find ways to make it happen.
The job hunter puts a team together to help them find a job. You need to find people to help you find a job. You can include a virtual team of experts like me, David Perry, Kevin Donlin of the Guerrilla Job Search program (you knew I would mention them), Brian Tracy, and Donald Trump. (and these guys too!) Build a team of people who love you, and build a team of people to connect you with the world. Remember when dealing with your team - everybody is willing to help those who help themselves, but few people are willing to help adults who act like children. Whom do you think I help? - those who send me an e-mail and ask "Can you review my LinkedIn profile please? " or those who read my website and say - "For my profile which headline do you prefer: Top Consumer Product Designer or Product Designer For Consumer Products? " (by the way, the answer is - neither - the person needs to be specific for example "Top Toy Designer For 8-10 Year Olds " or "Top Cleaning Product Package Designer " do you see the difference - both are consumer products, and they speak to the kind of job the person wants.
The job hunter understands they must take an action each and every day. "Click and Apply" does not count as an action. It needs to be something specific that moves the job hunt forward along a specific plan.
The job hunter is learning something new every day. I have some bad news for you. The length of time specific skills are useful is getting shorter and shorter every day. The lifetime of the skills of a typical university graduate today is about two years. This means that most of what they have just learned is will have no value in two years. Don't believe me? Think about somebody who just came back from a one year sabbatical from the banking industry. What they knew, who they knew, and what was considered normal a year ago is totally useless. Obviously it different from industry to industry and job to job, but the principle applies. The end result is that the job hunter (and everybody else) needs to be continuously improving all their skills, technical, inter-personal, writing, and anything else you can think of.
The job hunter has a sales and marketing mindset. This is a tough one, its especially difficult for people with no sales and marketing experience. Actually, its even tough for people with sales and marketing experience. You must take the position that you are a product and that you want to sell it once, you will then start to think about "how" to sell yourself.
Good luck on your job hunt.
You can find hundreds of job hunting tactics on http://www.ZaleTabakman.ca
http://MyTop10JobHuntingTactics.ZaleTabakman.ca
A core reason people are taking so long to find a job is that they are using a single tactic called "Click and Apply" and that approach doesn't work.
Serious job hunters understand why "Click and Apply" is the least likely way to get a job and it doesn't have anything to do with the quality of the resume, cover letter, or skills set.
It has to do with the process:
1. Thousands of other people, both qualified and unqualified, are seeing the same job posting and are simply hitting the button that says "Click and Apply". Therefore, you are in a queue of potentially thousands of resumes. The more successful the board, the greater the number of resumes.
2. One of two approaches are used by a hiring authority swamped with thousands of resumes: (a) They need use software to scan for keywords, or (b) the first 25 candidates that they find that meet the job hunting criteria, get to move to the next step. In the first scenario if your resume is missing a keyword, you are out of luck, in the second scenario, if your resume is too low in the pile, you are out of luck. And it may be due to timing, since the resume may be sorted by last name, telephone number, distance from location, years experience, or any other criteria that might be important to the company.
3. Another problem is who does the first review of the resume. The first selection is probably being done by a junior employee to weed out the totally inappropriate people.That junior employee may not be able to relate how your experience relates to the job, unless its spelled out explicitly.
4. Another challenge to "Click and Apply" is how much time a single person give to each of thousands of resumes that are used to create the short list. Unless your resume quickly gets the attention of the reader, its almost impossible. Subtle wording does not work.
Its been my experience that many job hunters only know "Click and Apply" and "Networking" as their job hunt tactics. There are hundreds of job hunting tactics available, but the biggest stopper for most people is that they haven't learned the correct way of thinking about their job hunt.
Here are my top 10 ways a job hunter must think:
The job hunter has courage. You need to be brave and do things you haven't done before. This courage will help you move beyond your comfort zone.
The job hunter focuses on the opportunities. In every economic cycle there are winners and their are losers. Companies grow and companies fail. Even 100 year old companies fail. Its just like a forest. Old trees fall and new trees come up. For years people thought forest fires were evil (its called the Bambi syndrome), but the latest forest management techniques allow forest fires to rage, the forest fire is healthy for the forest and for the environment. Unemployment has the same potential, unemployment is traumatic, its painful, and its massively difficult in the short term, but unemployment has the potential to be exceedingly healthy in the long term. Think about your role in the current economic forest fire, are you going to see it as opportunity to grow or a situation where you are going down in flames?
The job hunter understands they have choices. This thinking is one step further along than focusing on the opportunities. The job hunter recognizes each day of the job hunt they have a choice. They can choose to grow or stay stagnant. The job hunter can choose to find a contact in a company they want to work for or they can choose to go for coffee with unemployed friends and complain. The job hunter can choose to chase any job or find a job they want and are good at. Th job hunter can choose to see unemployment as an opportunity to change their life for the better, or a huge problem dumped on them. Not all choices are enjoyable, not all choices are fun to make, but each and every day we are presented with choices.
The job hunter acts everyday outside their comfort zone. There is an old question that you must ask yourself, "If you don't like the results you are getting from your current ways of doing things, why do you continue to do them? " There are three typical answers, (a) I don't know any different ways, (b) its too hard for me to change, and (c) I am making progress (but in reality are measuring the wrong thing). You need to answer this question deeply. Here is a method to help get to the correct answers, imagine you were in a trial and a prosecutor will put you in jail, unless your answer can convince them otherwise.
The job hunter knows exactly the kind of job they want. This is part of the goal setting. If you know exactly what job you want, it becomes easier to find it. You can and will develop a list of questions and milestones to get you closer to that job.
The job hunter sets a deadline to find a job. This one really throws many job hunters for a loop because they think finding a job is out of their control. Its not. If you set a real deadline, and I suggest 66 days, then, your mind will start to do whatever it takes to meet that deadline. You have been their before, you know if you have a hard deadline, somehow, it gets done, by that date. Your mind will start to find ways to make it happen.
The job hunter puts a team together to help them find a job. You need to find people to help you find a job. You can include a virtual team of experts like me, David Perry, Kevin Donlin of the Guerrilla Job Search program (you knew I would mention them), Brian Tracy, and Donald Trump. (and these guys too!) Build a team of people who love you, and build a team of people to connect you with the world. Remember when dealing with your team - everybody is willing to help those who help themselves, but few people are willing to help adults who act like children. Whom do you think I help? - those who send me an e-mail and ask "Can you review my LinkedIn profile please? " or those who read my website and say - "For my profile which headline do you prefer: Top Consumer Product Designer or Product Designer For Consumer Products? " (by the way, the answer is - neither - the person needs to be specific for example "Top Toy Designer For 8-10 Year Olds " or "Top Cleaning Product Package Designer " do you see the difference - both are consumer products, and they speak to the kind of job the person wants.
The job hunter understands they must take an action each and every day. "Click and Apply" does not count as an action. It needs to be something specific that moves the job hunt forward along a specific plan.
The job hunter is learning something new every day. I have some bad news for you. The length of time specific skills are useful is getting shorter and shorter every day. The lifetime of the skills of a typical university graduate today is about two years. This means that most of what they have just learned is will have no value in two years. Don't believe me? Think about somebody who just came back from a one year sabbatical from the banking industry. What they knew, who they knew, and what was considered normal a year ago is totally useless. Obviously it different from industry to industry and job to job, but the principle applies. The end result is that the job hunter (and everybody else) needs to be continuously improving all their skills, technical, inter-personal, writing, and anything else you can think of.
The job hunter has a sales and marketing mindset. This is a tough one, its especially difficult for people with no sales and marketing experience. Actually, its even tough for people with sales and marketing experience. You must take the position that you are a product and that you want to sell it once, you will then start to think about "how" to sell yourself.
Good luck on your job hunt.
You can find hundreds of job hunting tactics on http://www.ZaleTabakman.ca
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Ten Job Search Mistakes
You don't get it: You've scoured the Internet for jobs. You've
blanketed the market with your résumé. You've sent a basic cover
letter with every application. Why isn't anything happening?
While simply submitting your application materials and waiting for
an opportunity to fall in your lap might have been enough to land a
job at one time, the frustrating reality of today's job market makes
that type of job search impossible. Instead, today's job seekers
must go above and beyond if they want to stand a chance at landing a
great opportunity.
Competing for work requires full engagement but generates
significant momentum, says Jim Villwock, author of "Whacked Again!
Secrets to Getting Back on the Executive Saddle." But many job
seekers get distracted in their searches and get frustrated when
they don't see results right away.
"Initially, it is overconfidence that the process will be easy and
[that] time should be carved out for family, sports and other
activities that were neglected when working. The opposite is true.
Getting a job is usually more work than being employed," Villwock
says. "The core mistake is not procrastination, not working on a
résumé or not going to a networking meeting. It is not knowing the
process and working the plan to get the job that you deserve."
Here are 10 reasons your job search might not be succeeding:
1. You aren't networking
No one can help you find a job if you they don't know you need it.
Your friends, family and previous employers all know someone who
knows someone, so utilize their knowledge and connections as you
look for work.
Additionally, make yourself (and your job search) visible on social
and professional networking sites like BrightFuse, Facebook or
LinkedIn. According to a survey by Robert Half International, 62
percent of executives think professional networking sites will be
useful while searching for candidates in the next few years. Thirty-
five percent of respondents said they would use social networking
sites as a recruitment resource.
2. You're skipping the cover letter online
For some reason, people can't get used to the idea of submitting a
cover letter online, so they just skip the step altogether. Wrong
move, people. Your cover letter is your chance to make a good first
impression or address any inconsistencies on your résumé. When
sending your application via e-mail, your cover letter serves as the
body of the e-mail and your résumé is attached.
3. Your cover letter is generic
Now that we know you have to send a cover letter, the next step is
making sure that it's not generic. You need to tailor each letter to
a specific job and person, while clearly identifying the aspects of
your background that meet the employer's needs, says Ane Powers,
managing partner at The White Hawk Group, a career management firm.
"Your cover letter is your ticket to the interview. The ticket is
voided and placed in the 'thanks, but no thanks' pile if it doesn't
scream, 'I am a perfect fit for this position,'" she says.
4. You're procrastinating
Oftentimes, when we don't see the results we want, we get frustrated
and worried. After applying to so many jobs without hearing
anything, you just don't have the energy to update your résumé,
write a targeted cover letter or follow up with a hiring manager, so
you put it off until tomorrow, then the next day and the next day.
But why put off until tomorrow what can be done today? Your dream
job is not going to fall from the sky, so continue to endure and be
proactive in your search.
5. You're searching for jobs only on the Internet
While job boards and company Web sites are a great starting place to
find a job, the majority of open positions are never advertised,
Powers says. Communicate with people who can help you: Human
resource managers, recruiters and successful professionals will all
be key in discovering new opportunities.
6. You're not doing your research
This might be the most basic piece of job advice out there, yet some
people still choose not to follow it. Executives polled by Robert
Half said 25 percent of candidates didn't have any knowledge of the
company or industry to which they're applying.
Things change every day in business, especially in today's market.
It's important to know of any changes going on at the company where
you're applying. If you are applying for work in a new industry, do
some research to prove that you can be a valuable addition to that
field.
7. You're blanketing the market with your résumé
"Attractive candidates demonstrate strategic marketing. Blanketing
the market with your résumé demonstrates desperation and lack of
strategic thinking," Powers says. Don't send résumés to every single
job opening out there. Identify the organizations that meet your
requirements and go from there.
8. You're not following up
Too many job seekers assume that if they haven't heard back from an
employer, it's because they've been shot down for the position.
While that may be true, there is also every possibility that your
résumé never made it to its final destination or it got lost in the
flood of submissions. Eighty-two percent of executives say
candidates should contact hiring managers via e-mail, phone or
personalized letter within two weeks of submitting their résumés,
according to Robert Half. Just contact the hiring manager to say
that you wanted to confirm your application was received and ask if
he or she needs anything else from you.
9. You have too many distractions
Try to focus on only your job search for a couple of hours each day -
- don't check your personal e-mail, make phone calls or surf the
Internet (unless it's for jobs).
"Conducting a job campaign is a full-time job. As with any job, to
achieve results, one needs to set goals and develop an action plan
to achieve the goals," Powers says.
10. You don't ask for the job (Those who attended our
Interviewing Techniques class will remember this slide)
Many candidates are shy about being too outspoken or upfront about
their desire for the job, but many hiring managers will be impressed
with your candor.
"Employers are looking for candidates who are excited about the
position," Powers says. Be forward and ask for the position by
telling the interviewer why it is a good fit for you and the
organization.
blanketed the market with your résumé. You've sent a basic cover
letter with every application. Why isn't anything happening?
While simply submitting your application materials and waiting for
an opportunity to fall in your lap might have been enough to land a
job at one time, the frustrating reality of today's job market makes
that type of job search impossible. Instead, today's job seekers
must go above and beyond if they want to stand a chance at landing a
great opportunity.
Competing for work requires full engagement but generates
significant momentum, says Jim Villwock, author of "Whacked Again!
Secrets to Getting Back on the Executive Saddle." But many job
seekers get distracted in their searches and get frustrated when
they don't see results right away.
"Initially, it is overconfidence that the process will be easy and
[that] time should be carved out for family, sports and other
activities that were neglected when working. The opposite is true.
Getting a job is usually more work than being employed," Villwock
says. "The core mistake is not procrastination, not working on a
résumé or not going to a networking meeting. It is not knowing the
process and working the plan to get the job that you deserve."
Here are 10 reasons your job search might not be succeeding:
1. You aren't networking
No one can help you find a job if you they don't know you need it.
Your friends, family and previous employers all know someone who
knows someone, so utilize their knowledge and connections as you
look for work.
Additionally, make yourself (and your job search) visible on social
and professional networking sites like BrightFuse, Facebook or
LinkedIn. According to a survey by Robert Half International, 62
percent of executives think professional networking sites will be
useful while searching for candidates in the next few years. Thirty-
five percent of respondents said they would use social networking
sites as a recruitment resource.
2. You're skipping the cover letter online
For some reason, people can't get used to the idea of submitting a
cover letter online, so they just skip the step altogether. Wrong
move, people. Your cover letter is your chance to make a good first
impression or address any inconsistencies on your résumé. When
sending your application via e-mail, your cover letter serves as the
body of the e-mail and your résumé is attached.
3. Your cover letter is generic
Now that we know you have to send a cover letter, the next step is
making sure that it's not generic. You need to tailor each letter to
a specific job and person, while clearly identifying the aspects of
your background that meet the employer's needs, says Ane Powers,
managing partner at The White Hawk Group, a career management firm.
"Your cover letter is your ticket to the interview. The ticket is
voided and placed in the 'thanks, but no thanks' pile if it doesn't
scream, 'I am a perfect fit for this position,'" she says.
4. You're procrastinating
Oftentimes, when we don't see the results we want, we get frustrated
and worried. After applying to so many jobs without hearing
anything, you just don't have the energy to update your résumé,
write a targeted cover letter or follow up with a hiring manager, so
you put it off until tomorrow, then the next day and the next day.
But why put off until tomorrow what can be done today? Your dream
job is not going to fall from the sky, so continue to endure and be
proactive in your search.
5. You're searching for jobs only on the Internet
While job boards and company Web sites are a great starting place to
find a job, the majority of open positions are never advertised,
Powers says. Communicate with people who can help you: Human
resource managers, recruiters and successful professionals will all
be key in discovering new opportunities.
6. You're not doing your research
This might be the most basic piece of job advice out there, yet some
people still choose not to follow it. Executives polled by Robert
Half said 25 percent of candidates didn't have any knowledge of the
company or industry to which they're applying.
Things change every day in business, especially in today's market.
It's important to know of any changes going on at the company where
you're applying. If you are applying for work in a new industry, do
some research to prove that you can be a valuable addition to that
field.
7. You're blanketing the market with your résumé
"Attractive candidates demonstrate strategic marketing. Blanketing
the market with your résumé demonstrates desperation and lack of
strategic thinking," Powers says. Don't send résumés to every single
job opening out there. Identify the organizations that meet your
requirements and go from there.
8. You're not following up
Too many job seekers assume that if they haven't heard back from an
employer, it's because they've been shot down for the position.
While that may be true, there is also every possibility that your
résumé never made it to its final destination or it got lost in the
flood of submissions. Eighty-two percent of executives say
candidates should contact hiring managers via e-mail, phone or
personalized letter within two weeks of submitting their résumés,
according to Robert Half. Just contact the hiring manager to say
that you wanted to confirm your application was received and ask if
he or she needs anything else from you.
9. You have too many distractions
Try to focus on only your job search for a couple of hours each day -
- don't check your personal e-mail, make phone calls or surf the
Internet (unless it's for jobs).
"Conducting a job campaign is a full-time job. As with any job, to
achieve results, one needs to set goals and develop an action plan
to achieve the goals," Powers says.
10. You don't ask for the job (Those who attended our
Interviewing Techniques class will remember this slide)
Many candidates are shy about being too outspoken or upfront about
their desire for the job, but many hiring managers will be impressed
with your candor.
"Employers are looking for candidates who are excited about the
position," Powers says. Be forward and ask for the position by
telling the interviewer why it is a good fit for you and the
organization.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Finding New Employees, via Social Networks
Finding New Employees, via Social Networks
By JULIE WEED
Published: May 30, 2009
ALAN KENNEDY, 54, had never used social networking sites until he was laid off from his job as an engineer last November. Then he did what many job seekers are now advised to do: he set up profiles on Facebook and LinkedIn.
In March, after several depressing months of searching, Mr. Kennedy received a “Jobvite,” an e-mail invitation to apply for a job. The invitation came from a former co-worker who had gone to work for Hubspot, a company based in Cambridge, Mass., that sells Web-based marketing software. Hubspot had open positions and was offering bonuses to its employees to help fill them.
Mr. Kennedy’s former co-worker, Brian Karbel, used a software tool to search the profile information of his Facebook friends and LinkedIn contacts. He flagged Mr. Kennedy as a possible match to a job listing. Mr. Kennedy, who lives in the Boston area, responded to the invitation, scheduled an interview and, within a week, was working as a support engineer there. “I landed a job I might never have even heard of otherwise,” he said.
Until recently, Facebook might have been more likely to be viewed as a barrier to getting a job. Cautionary tales circulate of job offers rescinded after an employer discovered unseemly content on an applicant’s Facebook page. Social network users have been advised to sanitize their personal pages when job hunting, lest potential employers spot an inappropriate photo or comment.
But now more personal pages, profiles and social networks are serving as fodder for companies looking to fill jobs. To mine its employees’ social networking contacts for potential hires, a business can pay for services from companies like Appirio or Jobvite, whose service Mr. Kennedy used. Both are based in the San Francisco area.
A hiring company that uses Appirio’s product asks its employees to add an application to their Facebook pages. The tool will notify the employees when new jobs open and which of their friends might be a good fit.
“Appirio’s matching engine comes up with a list of friends whose job titles, geographic location and other keywords match their company’s available positions, and the employee can send them a referral in Facebook,” said Ryan Nichols, Appirio’s vice president for product management. The matching engine has access to the same information that a Facebook friend does.
A friend who gets a referral can apply for the job if interested. If that person is hired, the company can use Appirio’s service to track which employee found the match and offer a referral bonus.
To address privacy concerns, the list of possible candidates is available only to the friend/employee and not to the hiring company or software provider. “People’s Facebook friends don’t want their personal information going to any companies they haven’t specifically authorized,” Mr. Nichols said, “so to protect their privacy, the candidate list isn’t sent back to the hiring company or reused in any way.”
Jobvite offers a similar service with a wider range. While the Appirio software can currently search Facebook contacts, the Jobvite tool can search Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter contacts. “And anyone who receives a Jobvite can search their own networks and pass it along again,” said Dan Finnigan, the chief executive of Jobvite.
“Employees have always referred friends for jobs,” he said, “Our technology just does the matching for them.”
Recipients who are hired can be tracked to the original sender for a referral bonus, even if the Jobvite has been passed from one mailbox to another up to six times.
Total Attorneys, in Chicago, started using Jobvite when the recruiting tool was introduced in March. Total Attorneys provides law firms with marketing services and with administrative tasks like preparing bankruptcy petitions.
Ed Scanlan, the chief executive of Total Attorneys, said: “Friends of our employees are more likely to have the same characteristics our employees do — hard-working, smart — so they’ve gone through a natural filter,” he said.
In a six-week period this spring, Total Attorneys hired 21 new employees. Eleven came from employee referrals, and of those, four came through Jobvite’s social networking search, he said.
GLADYS STONE, a corporate recruiter in San Francisco, says it’s smart for employers to tap into employees’ social networks. This accelerates the personal referral process and widens the field, as many social network users have hundreds of friends or contacts in their networks, she said.
And while some may be disconcerted that software from an unknown company is searching their profiles, Ms. Stone says that most know that information on the Web can be used in ways that people don’t expect, and that LinkedIn, in particular, is built to make professional information available.
Mr. Scanlan said that recruiting through his employees’ social networks was a natural progression from using Craigslist and job Web sites over the past few years. He hopes to make this grass-roots type of recruiting part of his company’s culture. “This is beyond the H.R. department,” he said. “All employees should be talent recruiters.”
And Mr. Nichols said that in an environment of high unemployment, friends want to help one another find jobs.
While Ms. Stone sees the value in the new tools, she also advises job seekers to take matters into their own hands.
“Use your social networking sites to reach out and tell everyone you know what kind of job you’re looking for,” she said. “You can’t always wait to receive an invitation.”
By JULIE WEED
Published: May 30, 2009
ALAN KENNEDY, 54, had never used social networking sites until he was laid off from his job as an engineer last November. Then he did what many job seekers are now advised to do: he set up profiles on Facebook and LinkedIn.
In March, after several depressing months of searching, Mr. Kennedy received a “Jobvite,” an e-mail invitation to apply for a job. The invitation came from a former co-worker who had gone to work for Hubspot, a company based in Cambridge, Mass., that sells Web-based marketing software. Hubspot had open positions and was offering bonuses to its employees to help fill them.
Mr. Kennedy’s former co-worker, Brian Karbel, used a software tool to search the profile information of his Facebook friends and LinkedIn contacts. He flagged Mr. Kennedy as a possible match to a job listing. Mr. Kennedy, who lives in the Boston area, responded to the invitation, scheduled an interview and, within a week, was working as a support engineer there. “I landed a job I might never have even heard of otherwise,” he said.
Until recently, Facebook might have been more likely to be viewed as a barrier to getting a job. Cautionary tales circulate of job offers rescinded after an employer discovered unseemly content on an applicant’s Facebook page. Social network users have been advised to sanitize their personal pages when job hunting, lest potential employers spot an inappropriate photo or comment.
But now more personal pages, profiles and social networks are serving as fodder for companies looking to fill jobs. To mine its employees’ social networking contacts for potential hires, a business can pay for services from companies like Appirio or Jobvite, whose service Mr. Kennedy used. Both are based in the San Francisco area.
A hiring company that uses Appirio’s product asks its employees to add an application to their Facebook pages. The tool will notify the employees when new jobs open and which of their friends might be a good fit.
“Appirio’s matching engine comes up with a list of friends whose job titles, geographic location and other keywords match their company’s available positions, and the employee can send them a referral in Facebook,” said Ryan Nichols, Appirio’s vice president for product management. The matching engine has access to the same information that a Facebook friend does.
A friend who gets a referral can apply for the job if interested. If that person is hired, the company can use Appirio’s service to track which employee found the match and offer a referral bonus.
To address privacy concerns, the list of possible candidates is available only to the friend/employee and not to the hiring company or software provider. “People’s Facebook friends don’t want their personal information going to any companies they haven’t specifically authorized,” Mr. Nichols said, “so to protect their privacy, the candidate list isn’t sent back to the hiring company or reused in any way.”
Jobvite offers a similar service with a wider range. While the Appirio software can currently search Facebook contacts, the Jobvite tool can search Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter contacts. “And anyone who receives a Jobvite can search their own networks and pass it along again,” said Dan Finnigan, the chief executive of Jobvite.
“Employees have always referred friends for jobs,” he said, “Our technology just does the matching for them.”
Recipients who are hired can be tracked to the original sender for a referral bonus, even if the Jobvite has been passed from one mailbox to another up to six times.
Total Attorneys, in Chicago, started using Jobvite when the recruiting tool was introduced in March. Total Attorneys provides law firms with marketing services and with administrative tasks like preparing bankruptcy petitions.
Ed Scanlan, the chief executive of Total Attorneys, said: “Friends of our employees are more likely to have the same characteristics our employees do — hard-working, smart — so they’ve gone through a natural filter,” he said.
In a six-week period this spring, Total Attorneys hired 21 new employees. Eleven came from employee referrals, and of those, four came through Jobvite’s social networking search, he said.
GLADYS STONE, a corporate recruiter in San Francisco, says it’s smart for employers to tap into employees’ social networks. This accelerates the personal referral process and widens the field, as many social network users have hundreds of friends or contacts in their networks, she said.
And while some may be disconcerted that software from an unknown company is searching their profiles, Ms. Stone says that most know that information on the Web can be used in ways that people don’t expect, and that LinkedIn, in particular, is built to make professional information available.
Mr. Scanlan said that recruiting through his employees’ social networks was a natural progression from using Craigslist and job Web sites over the past few years. He hopes to make this grass-roots type of recruiting part of his company’s culture. “This is beyond the H.R. department,” he said. “All employees should be talent recruiters.”
And Mr. Nichols said that in an environment of high unemployment, friends want to help one another find jobs.
While Ms. Stone sees the value in the new tools, she also advises job seekers to take matters into their own hands.
“Use your social networking sites to reach out and tell everyone you know what kind of job you’re looking for,” she said. “You can’t always wait to receive an invitation.”
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Career Coaching and Counseling Ministries
Career Coaching and Counseling Ministries
Monday June 1, 2009
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
(This event repeats every week.)
Location: Saddleback Church
Street: 1 Saddleback Parkway, Room 404/405/407
City State Zip: Lake Forest, CA
Phone: (949)609-8000
Notes:
Please bring resumes and professional attire. This even repeats provided there is no major scheduled holiday.
Monday June 1, 2009
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
(This event repeats every week.)
Location: Saddleback Church
Street: 1 Saddleback Parkway, Room 404/405/407
City State Zip: Lake Forest, CA
Phone: (949)609-8000
Notes:
Please bring resumes and professional attire. This even repeats provided there is no major scheduled holiday.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Retail Underwriting Supervisor
Position- Retail Underwriting Supervisor
Job Id (Use when Referring to Position): 219
Job Type: FTP
Location: Murray UT
Experience: 3 - 10
Job Description:
Your Underwriting Supervisory Experience is Needed!
We are seeking a talented individual to join our team. We have been in business for more than 26 years and have enjoyed tremendous success in both retail and wholesale lending and are expecting to close about 2 Billion dollars in loans this year. We have built an excellent reputation for ourselves and have been awarded the prestigious title of "Best Mortgage Company in Utah" for multiple years. If you would enjoy working for a successful employee and customer focused company like ours and can fulfill the job responsibilities and requirements listed below, we want to talk to you!
This job is responsible for managing all aspects of underwriting to enable the business to make sound credit decisions, improve service and efficiency, maintain relations with sales and operations partners, while managing credit quality. The incumbent provides leadership, guidance, and support to a staff of Underwriters, and will be responsible for underwriting files as needed while ensuring administrative and operational compliance with regulatory requirements and policies and procedures related to underwriting.
This person will also develop the skills of subordinates through a combination of goal-setting, delegation, training, counseling, and performance management, recommends and approves staffing levels and personnel actions such as hiring, firing, promotions, transfers, salary actions, and staff training, establishes and approves performance goals, conducts performance appraisal reviews, documents performance, and recommends, executes and approves disciplinary action.
This position will require regular interaction with Branch Managers, Loan Officers, Processors and other staff. This person will be responsible for assessing work flow and quality and will be a key contributor developing process/procedures for improvement in these areas nod developing programs to related to underwriting, loan scenarios, quality, efficiencies
Requirements:
· 5 years of progressively responsible sub prime mortgage underwriting experience.
· 2 years in a lead or supervisory capacity.
· Demonstrates effective leadership techniques.
· Demonstrated ability to apply local, state, and federal regulations relating to loan operation activities.
Excellent analytical and decision making skills Strong verbal and written communication skills A flexible and customer service oriented underwriting mentality where every option is exhausted to make a loan work. Strong negotiation skills Thorough knowledge of MI policies Thorough knowledge of complex personal and business financial analysis and an expertise in tax return and balance sheet analysis, including both cash flow and AGI methods Knowledge and proficiency in all levels of mortgage underwriting including Government, Agency and Jumbo lending. (Super Jumbo a plus)
Degree Required:
Desired Skills:
Additional Information:
Comments:
Larene Ring
AMR, Inc.
818-224-7988 Direct
Toll Free 888-290-7228 x101
Job Id (Use when Referring to Position): 219
Job Type: FTP
Location: Murray UT
Experience: 3 - 10
Job Description:
Your Underwriting Supervisory Experience is Needed!
We are seeking a talented individual to join our team. We have been in business for more than 26 years and have enjoyed tremendous success in both retail and wholesale lending and are expecting to close about 2 Billion dollars in loans this year. We have built an excellent reputation for ourselves and have been awarded the prestigious title of "Best Mortgage Company in Utah" for multiple years. If you would enjoy working for a successful employee and customer focused company like ours and can fulfill the job responsibilities and requirements listed below, we want to talk to you!
This job is responsible for managing all aspects of underwriting to enable the business to make sound credit decisions, improve service and efficiency, maintain relations with sales and operations partners, while managing credit quality. The incumbent provides leadership, guidance, and support to a staff of Underwriters, and will be responsible for underwriting files as needed while ensuring administrative and operational compliance with regulatory requirements and policies and procedures related to underwriting.
This person will also develop the skills of subordinates through a combination of goal-setting, delegation, training, counseling, and performance management, recommends and approves staffing levels and personnel actions such as hiring, firing, promotions, transfers, salary actions, and staff training, establishes and approves performance goals, conducts performance appraisal reviews, documents performance, and recommends, executes and approves disciplinary action.
This position will require regular interaction with Branch Managers, Loan Officers, Processors and other staff. This person will be responsible for assessing work flow and quality and will be a key contributor developing process/procedures for improvement in these areas nod developing programs to related to underwriting, loan scenarios, quality, efficiencies
Requirements:
· 5 years of progressively responsible sub prime mortgage underwriting experience.
· 2 years in a lead or supervisory capacity.
· Demonstrates effective leadership techniques.
· Demonstrated ability to apply local, state, and federal regulations relating to loan operation activities.
Excellent analytical and decision making skills Strong verbal and written communication skills A flexible and customer service oriented underwriting mentality where every option is exhausted to make a loan work. Strong negotiation skills Thorough knowledge of MI policies Thorough knowledge of complex personal and business financial analysis and an expertise in tax return and balance sheet analysis, including both cash flow and AGI methods Knowledge and proficiency in all levels of mortgage underwriting including Government, Agency and Jumbo lending. (Super Jumbo a plus)
Degree Required:
Desired Skills:
Additional Information:
Comments:
Larene Ring
AMR, Inc.
818-224-7988 Direct
Toll Free 888-290-7228 x101
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Obama signs anti-foreclosure measure
Obama signs anti-foreclosure measure
Law encourages banks to give another chance to struggling homeowners.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 05/21/2009
President Barack Obama said homeowners facing foreclosure would have a second chance under a measure he signed into law on Wednesday, but he added that consumers still must live within their means.
The law encourages banks to spare homeowners from foreclosure and cracks down on lenders who take advantage of them. The bill passed Congress earlier this week, and Obama skipped a promised five-day waiting period to make it law.
“There are Americans desperate to find a job or unable to make ends meet, despite work in multiple jobs, Americans who pay their bills on time but can’t keep their heads above water,” Obama said in the White House’s East Room.
“Americans living in fear that they’re one illness or one accident away from losing their home, hardworking Americans who did all the right things, met all of their responsibilities, yet still find the American dream slipping out of reach.”
The law – officially called the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act – expands an existing $300 billion program that encourages lenders to adjust a mortgage if the homeowner agrees to pay an insurance premium. The program, scheduled to expire in 2011, would swap out a homeowner’s high interest rate for a 30-year fixed loan backed by the Federal Housing Administration.
Because of strict eligibility requirements, only about 50 homeowners are refinancing through the program, compared with the 400,000 people it was estimated to help.
“Too many administrative and technical hurdles made it very difficult to navigate, and most borrowers didn’t even bother to try,” Obama said. “And this bill removes those hurdles, getting folks into sustainable and affordable mortgages and, more importantly, keeping them in their homes.”
The lending industry helped scuttle a tougher measure that would have forced lenders to reduce the monthly payments of owners in bankruptcy.
Obama also blamed greed among lenders and irresponsibility among borrowers for part of the financial crisis that has led to 1.3 million jobs lost since February.
The bill also extends through 2013 an increase in deposit insurance by the FDIC from $100,000 to $250,000.
Law encourages banks to give another chance to struggling homeowners.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 05/21/2009
President Barack Obama said homeowners facing foreclosure would have a second chance under a measure he signed into law on Wednesday, but he added that consumers still must live within their means.
The law encourages banks to spare homeowners from foreclosure and cracks down on lenders who take advantage of them. The bill passed Congress earlier this week, and Obama skipped a promised five-day waiting period to make it law.
“There are Americans desperate to find a job or unable to make ends meet, despite work in multiple jobs, Americans who pay their bills on time but can’t keep their heads above water,” Obama said in the White House’s East Room.
“Americans living in fear that they’re one illness or one accident away from losing their home, hardworking Americans who did all the right things, met all of their responsibilities, yet still find the American dream slipping out of reach.”
The law – officially called the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act – expands an existing $300 billion program that encourages lenders to adjust a mortgage if the homeowner agrees to pay an insurance premium. The program, scheduled to expire in 2011, would swap out a homeowner’s high interest rate for a 30-year fixed loan backed by the Federal Housing Administration.
Because of strict eligibility requirements, only about 50 homeowners are refinancing through the program, compared with the 400,000 people it was estimated to help.
“Too many administrative and technical hurdles made it very difficult to navigate, and most borrowers didn’t even bother to try,” Obama said. “And this bill removes those hurdles, getting folks into sustainable and affordable mortgages and, more importantly, keeping them in their homes.”
The lending industry helped scuttle a tougher measure that would have forced lenders to reduce the monthly payments of owners in bankruptcy.
Obama also blamed greed among lenders and irresponsibility among borrowers for part of the financial crisis that has led to 1.3 million jobs lost since February.
The bill also extends through 2013 an increase in deposit insurance by the FDIC from $100,000 to $250,000.
Friday, May 22, 2009
x Answers Interviewers Need to Hire You
http://career-advice.monster.com/job-interview/Interview-Questions/Six-Answers-Interviewers-Need/article.aspx?WT.mc_n=CRMUS000096
Six Answers Interviewers Need to Hire You
By Peter Vogt, MonsterTRAK Career Coach
During the typical job interview, you'll be asked a lot of questions. But do you really understand what the interviewer needs to know?
"Most students have no idea why a recruiter asks a particular question," says Brad Karsh, a former recruiting professional for advertising giant Leo Burnett and current president of career consulting firm Job Bound. "They tend to think it's a competition to outwit the interviewer."
The reality is that employers have neither the time nor inclination to play games with you, especially when hiring. Your interviewer is not trying to outguess you -- he's trying to assess your answers to six key questions:
Do You Have the Skills to Do the Job?
According to Karsh, the employer must first determine whether you have the necessary hard skills for the position, e.g., the programming knowledge for a database administration job or the writing chops to be a newspaper reporter. "By really probing into what the candidate has done in the past, an interviewer can tap into hard skills."
But the interviewer is also looking for key soft skills you'll need to succeed in the job and organization, such as the ability to work well on teams or "the requisite common sense to figure things out with some basic training," says Terese Corey Blanck, director of student development at internship company Student Experience and a partner in College to Career, a consulting firm.
Do You Fit?
"Every organization's first thought is about fit and potentially fit in a certain department," Corey Blanck says. That means the interviewer is trying to pinpoint not only whether you match up well with both the company's and department's activities but also whether you'll complement the talents of your potential coworkers.
Do You Understand the Company and Its Purpose?
If the organization fits well with your career aspirations, you'll naturally be motivated to do good work there -- and stay more than a month or two, Corey Blanck reasons. "I don't want someone to take the position because it's a job and it fits their skills. I want them to be excited about our mission and what we do."
How Do You Stack Up Against the Competition?
You're being evaluated in relation to other candidates for the job. In other words, this test is graded on a curve. So the interviewer will constantly be comparing your performance with that of the other candidates'.
Do You Have the Right Mind-Set for the Job and Company?
"I'm always looking for someone who has a can-do type of attitude," Corey Blanck explains. "I want someone who wants to be challenged and is internally motivated to do well.
Corey Blanck points out that an employer can't train for this essential trait. "But you can hire for it. And if you don't, you'll end up with a lower-performing employee."
Do You Want the Job?
Most employers know better than to believe everyone they interview actually wants the position being offered. They understand some candidates are exploring their options, while others are using an interview with a company they don't care about to hone their interview skills.
So you have to prove you really want the job, says Al Pollard, senior college recruiter for Countrywide Financial. "I use the ditch-digger analogy: Many of us can dig ditches, but few are willing to -- and even fewer want to."
Additional Articles in This Feature
Make a Great First Impression home
What If Your Interview Is Tomorrow?
100 Potential Interview Questions
Nonverbal Communications: Escape the Pitfalls
Job Interview Pointers
Do Your Homework Before the Big Interview
Assessing Your Skills
Six Answers Interviewers Need to Hire You
By Peter Vogt, MonsterTRAK Career Coach
During the typical job interview, you'll be asked a lot of questions. But do you really understand what the interviewer needs to know?
"Most students have no idea why a recruiter asks a particular question," says Brad Karsh, a former recruiting professional for advertising giant Leo Burnett and current president of career consulting firm Job Bound. "They tend to think it's a competition to outwit the interviewer."
The reality is that employers have neither the time nor inclination to play games with you, especially when hiring. Your interviewer is not trying to outguess you -- he's trying to assess your answers to six key questions:
Do You Have the Skills to Do the Job?
According to Karsh, the employer must first determine whether you have the necessary hard skills for the position, e.g., the programming knowledge for a database administration job or the writing chops to be a newspaper reporter. "By really probing into what the candidate has done in the past, an interviewer can tap into hard skills."
But the interviewer is also looking for key soft skills you'll need to succeed in the job and organization, such as the ability to work well on teams or "the requisite common sense to figure things out with some basic training," says Terese Corey Blanck, director of student development at internship company Student Experience and a partner in College to Career, a consulting firm.
Do You Fit?
"Every organization's first thought is about fit and potentially fit in a certain department," Corey Blanck says. That means the interviewer is trying to pinpoint not only whether you match up well with both the company's and department's activities but also whether you'll complement the talents of your potential coworkers.
Do You Understand the Company and Its Purpose?
If the organization fits well with your career aspirations, you'll naturally be motivated to do good work there -- and stay more than a month or two, Corey Blanck reasons. "I don't want someone to take the position because it's a job and it fits their skills. I want them to be excited about our mission and what we do."
How Do You Stack Up Against the Competition?
You're being evaluated in relation to other candidates for the job. In other words, this test is graded on a curve. So the interviewer will constantly be comparing your performance with that of the other candidates'.
Do You Have the Right Mind-Set for the Job and Company?
"I'm always looking for someone who has a can-do type of attitude," Corey Blanck explains. "I want someone who wants to be challenged and is internally motivated to do well.
Corey Blanck points out that an employer can't train for this essential trait. "But you can hire for it. And if you don't, you'll end up with a lower-performing employee."
Do You Want the Job?
Most employers know better than to believe everyone they interview actually wants the position being offered. They understand some candidates are exploring their options, while others are using an interview with a company they don't care about to hone their interview skills.
So you have to prove you really want the job, says Al Pollard, senior college recruiter for Countrywide Financial. "I use the ditch-digger analogy: Many of us can dig ditches, but few are willing to -- and even fewer want to."
Additional Articles in This Feature
Make a Great First Impression home
What If Your Interview Is Tomorrow?
100 Potential Interview Questions
Nonverbal Communications: Escape the Pitfalls
Job Interview Pointers
Do Your Homework Before the Big Interview
Assessing Your Skills
Stimulus Allocates Billions for Job-Training Opportunities
http://career-advice.monster.com/career-development/Education-Training/economic-stimulus-job-training/article.aspx?WT.mc_n=CRMUS000096
Stimulus Allocates Billions for Job-Training Opportunities
By John Rossheim, Monster Senior Contributing Writer
With tens of millions of people unemployed or underemployed, and with blue-chip industries from automotive to banking in distress, the US workforce sorely needs help. So the new funding for job training provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is a well-timed boon to American workers.
“The [federal] workforce system will play a vital role in America’s economic recovery by assisting workers who are facing unprecedented challenges to retool their skills and reestablish themselves in viable career paths,” said Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis in a statement.
While ARRA money for training won’t by itself put millions back to work, it is a substantial boost to local and state programs that receive federal backing.
“New funding for workforce training and development is about $4 billion -- a huge amount,” says Julian Alssid, executive director of the Workforce Strategy Center, a workforce development think tank in New York City. “The stimulus money is being pushed out very rapidly.”
The major ARRA provisions that will beef up training include:
$1.25 billion for dislocated adult workers, such as those laid off or who have received advanced notice of a factory closing.
$1.2 billion for dislocated youth workers.
$500 million in state grants for employment services, mainly for low-income adults.
$500 million to fund training for sustainable energy jobs.
Funding for workforce training is seen as more than a stopgap. “The public is investing in the worker,” says Chris Stiehl, a consultant who has researched the Workforce Investment Act since it was enacted in 1998. “We’re now going to be able to reach out and train more people and make them more competitive in the workforce.”
Dislocated Workers
The key to connecting with the new training money is local One-Stop Career Centers, the federal government’s network of more than 3,000 employment-help offices. “If job seekers want to take full advantage of ARRA, they need to be prepared when they arrive at a One-Stop,” Alssid says. “They should get a handle on what good jobs are available in the region, look at what economic development agencies are doing, and think about their own job skills and how they are transferable.”
Alssid gives an example of how workers can use stimulus funding to make the transition from a career in a depressed industry. “Suppose a woman in suburban Cleveland loses her job as a manufacturing technician,” he says. “She might go to the Lake County One-Stop Career Center and be referred to a technical training program in allied health at Lakeland Community College, say, to become a radiologic technologist. She could earn the college’s computed tomography certificate with both coursework and clinical experience.”
Alssid says a One-Stop can give you a voucher to pay for college education. “Think of them as a resource to provide dollars for your retraining,” he says. With the extra stimulus dollars available, “this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Help for Workers Young and Older
ARRA money for job training singles out two demographic groups: young people just entering the workforce and older workers having difficulty finding or keeping a job.
The youth-oriented funding concentrates on preparing future workers and helping them enter the workforce.
“Our department is getting $17 million in stimulus money for the Youth Ready summer program,” says Mary Ellen Messner, director of Youth Ready Chicago, an internship and job-training program of the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services. “About 24,000 young people have already applied. We’ll be able to fund 7,300 additional people with the ARRA money. They’ll learn about career opportunities by participating in activities like job shadowing.” Interested people ages 14 to 24 can call the program or apply online.
ARRA is also making available additional funding for low-income workers age 55 and up. The Senior Community Service Employment Program offers training and placement in part-time service jobs at public agencies and nonprofits. Older workers should also check with their local One-Stop Career Centers about training opportunities.
To learn more about federally funded training opportunities in your area or to contact a specific program, consult your state’s Workforce Investment Act plans or department of labor.
Talk about this article and other employment news related to the stimulus on our Stimulus Jobs Discussion board.
Stimulus Allocates Billions for Job-Training Opportunities
By John Rossheim, Monster Senior Contributing Writer
With tens of millions of people unemployed or underemployed, and with blue-chip industries from automotive to banking in distress, the US workforce sorely needs help. So the new funding for job training provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is a well-timed boon to American workers.
“The [federal] workforce system will play a vital role in America’s economic recovery by assisting workers who are facing unprecedented challenges to retool their skills and reestablish themselves in viable career paths,” said Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis in a statement.
While ARRA money for training won’t by itself put millions back to work, it is a substantial boost to local and state programs that receive federal backing.
“New funding for workforce training and development is about $4 billion -- a huge amount,” says Julian Alssid, executive director of the Workforce Strategy Center, a workforce development think tank in New York City. “The stimulus money is being pushed out very rapidly.”
The major ARRA provisions that will beef up training include:
$1.25 billion for dislocated adult workers, such as those laid off or who have received advanced notice of a factory closing.
$1.2 billion for dislocated youth workers.
$500 million in state grants for employment services, mainly for low-income adults.
$500 million to fund training for sustainable energy jobs.
Funding for workforce training is seen as more than a stopgap. “The public is investing in the worker,” says Chris Stiehl, a consultant who has researched the Workforce Investment Act since it was enacted in 1998. “We’re now going to be able to reach out and train more people and make them more competitive in the workforce.”
Dislocated Workers
The key to connecting with the new training money is local One-Stop Career Centers, the federal government’s network of more than 3,000 employment-help offices. “If job seekers want to take full advantage of ARRA, they need to be prepared when they arrive at a One-Stop,” Alssid says. “They should get a handle on what good jobs are available in the region, look at what economic development agencies are doing, and think about their own job skills and how they are transferable.”
Alssid gives an example of how workers can use stimulus funding to make the transition from a career in a depressed industry. “Suppose a woman in suburban Cleveland loses her job as a manufacturing technician,” he says. “She might go to the Lake County One-Stop Career Center and be referred to a technical training program in allied health at Lakeland Community College, say, to become a radiologic technologist. She could earn the college’s computed tomography certificate with both coursework and clinical experience.”
Alssid says a One-Stop can give you a voucher to pay for college education. “Think of them as a resource to provide dollars for your retraining,” he says. With the extra stimulus dollars available, “this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Help for Workers Young and Older
ARRA money for job training singles out two demographic groups: young people just entering the workforce and older workers having difficulty finding or keeping a job.
The youth-oriented funding concentrates on preparing future workers and helping them enter the workforce.
“Our department is getting $17 million in stimulus money for the Youth Ready summer program,” says Mary Ellen Messner, director of Youth Ready Chicago, an internship and job-training program of the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services. “About 24,000 young people have already applied. We’ll be able to fund 7,300 additional people with the ARRA money. They’ll learn about career opportunities by participating in activities like job shadowing.” Interested people ages 14 to 24 can call the program or apply online.
ARRA is also making available additional funding for low-income workers age 55 and up. The Senior Community Service Employment Program offers training and placement in part-time service jobs at public agencies and nonprofits. Older workers should also check with their local One-Stop Career Centers about training opportunities.
To learn more about federally funded training opportunities in your area or to contact a specific program, consult your state’s Workforce Investment Act plans or department of labor.
Talk about this article and other employment news related to the stimulus on our Stimulus Jobs Discussion board.
Bill would give renters foreclosure rights
http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/05/07/copy/leg07.ART_ART_05-07-09_B5_PIDPKTM.html?sid=101
Bill would give renters foreclosure rights
House OKs plan to let them stay 30 days; now Senate gets it
Thursday, May 7, 2009 3:24 AM
By Jim Siegel
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Bill Faith said he hears the stories all the time -- a renter who has paid on time and done nothing wrong is without warning tossed out of his home or apartment because it has fallen into foreclosure.
"With tenants, it's just so egregious because they are evicted sometimes with only three days notice, even through they've paid their rent on time for years," said Faith, executive director of the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio.
The Ohio House passed a bill yesterday that would allow tenants to remain in their residences for at least 30 days following a foreclosure, giving them more time to find a new home. The bill passed 53-42, with most Republicans voting against it.
House Bill 9 also would:
• Require landlords to notify potential tenants if the property is currently in foreclosure.
• Require landlords to notify all current tenants residing in any building if that property goes into foreclosure, within 60 days of the filing.
• Require landlords to notify tenants 21 days in advance if a foreclosure is not remedied and a sheriff's sale date is set. This is to give the tenant a fair shot at bidding on the property.
"No tenant who pays rent on time and lives up to their end of the contract should have to face immediate eviction because their landlord faced a foreclosure and sheriff sale," said the bill's main sponsor, Rep. Ted Celeste, D-Grandview Heights. "Unfortunately tenants have largely been forgotten in this mortgage situation."
Republicans expressed concern that upon sale of a foreclosed property, a renter's contract would convert to a month-to-month agreement. Rep. Shannon Jones, R-Springboro, wondered who a tenant contacts about repairs if a bank or out-of-state investor purchases a property.
"People won't want to purchase property if they have no interest in being in a landlord-tenant relationship, but they are forced to do so," she said, adding that it could further devalue the properties.
The bill now heads to the Republican-controlled Senate.
jsiegel@dispatch.com
Bill would give renters foreclosure rights
House OKs plan to let them stay 30 days; now Senate gets it
Thursday, May 7, 2009 3:24 AM
By Jim Siegel
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Bill Faith said he hears the stories all the time -- a renter who has paid on time and done nothing wrong is without warning tossed out of his home or apartment because it has fallen into foreclosure.
"With tenants, it's just so egregious because they are evicted sometimes with only three days notice, even through they've paid their rent on time for years," said Faith, executive director of the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio.
The Ohio House passed a bill yesterday that would allow tenants to remain in their residences for at least 30 days following a foreclosure, giving them more time to find a new home. The bill passed 53-42, with most Republicans voting against it.
House Bill 9 also would:
• Require landlords to notify potential tenants if the property is currently in foreclosure.
• Require landlords to notify all current tenants residing in any building if that property goes into foreclosure, within 60 days of the filing.
• Require landlords to notify tenants 21 days in advance if a foreclosure is not remedied and a sheriff's sale date is set. This is to give the tenant a fair shot at bidding on the property.
"No tenant who pays rent on time and lives up to their end of the contract should have to face immediate eviction because their landlord faced a foreclosure and sheriff sale," said the bill's main sponsor, Rep. Ted Celeste, D-Grandview Heights. "Unfortunately tenants have largely been forgotten in this mortgage situation."
Republicans expressed concern that upon sale of a foreclosed property, a renter's contract would convert to a month-to-month agreement. Rep. Shannon Jones, R-Springboro, wondered who a tenant contacts about repairs if a bank or out-of-state investor purchases a property.
"People won't want to purchase property if they have no interest in being in a landlord-tenant relationship, but they are forced to do so," she said, adding that it could further devalue the properties.
The bill now heads to the Republican-controlled Senate.
jsiegel@dispatch.com
Senate OKs credit card curbs
http://money.cnn.com/2009/05/19/news/economy/credit_cards/index.htm
Senate OKs credit card curbs
90-5 vote sends to House a bill that curtails fees and rate hikes. Unrelated provision boosts gun rights. Measure could go to Obama this week.
By Jennifer Liberto, CNNMoney.com senior writer
Last Updated: May 19, 2009: 2:03 PM ET
WASHINGTON (CNNMoney.com) -- The Senate on Tuesday voted 90-5 to approve a bill that will make it tougher for credit card issuers to raise fees and interest rates starting early next year.
The bill includes an unrelated measure that would allow people to carry concealed weapons into national parks.
The bill now goes to the House, which is expected to take it up on Wednesday and pass it before the weekend. The bill would get to President Obama's desk before Memorial Day, as he called for.
"To have the industry reaching and be as abusive to consumers, it needed to stop and it needed to change," said Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., a bill sponsor.
The legislation is moderately tougher on card issuers than are new Federal Reserve rules that take effect in July 2010.
The Senate's bill would take effect in nine months and make it harder for people under age 21 to get credit cards. It would also ban rate hikes unless a consumer is more than 60 days late - and then restore the previous rate after six months if minimum payments are made.
The banking industry decried the bill, saying it would exacerbate the credit crisis and force banks to drop some risky credit card holders.
"We are concerned that the Senate bill will have a dramatic impact on the ability of consumers, students, and small businesses to obtain and use credit cards," said American Bankers Association president Edward Yingling
The credit card legislation has been a long work in progress. The House passed a bill in 2008 and again earlier this year. The legislation, which stalled in past years, was propelled by public outrage and pressure by President Obama.
"I'm very glad to have these reforms within reach at long last," said the bill's House sponsor, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y. "To Sen. Dodd's credit, he has enhanced my bill in a few areas - especially in extending from 30 to 60 days before penalty rate hikes can kick in on existing balances."
Maloney added she thought it "unfortunate," that the measure to allow concealed weapons in national parks remained on the credit card bill, especially since Memorial Day kicks off the summer season at national parks. She planned to vote against the gun provision but said it shouldn't block the bill's final passage.
In recent few months, credit card companies have been raising fees and interest rates. From November 2008 to February 2009, rates increased from an average to 13.08% from 12.02%, according to a Federal Reserve Board report.
At the same time, more people are not able to make their credit cards payments and are walking away from the debt, according to a Federal Reserve report.
However, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner said Monday he was not concerned about a consumer debt "bubble."
"Americans are going to be reducing how much they borrow, improving their balance sheets, saving more," he said. "Banks are still going to have losses they're going to have to adjust to. And that's what's going to make the process of repair here longer. . .But that's a necessary, healthy process of adjustment for us to go through."
Senate OKs credit card curbs
90-5 vote sends to House a bill that curtails fees and rate hikes. Unrelated provision boosts gun rights. Measure could go to Obama this week.
By Jennifer Liberto, CNNMoney.com senior writer
Last Updated: May 19, 2009: 2:03 PM ET
WASHINGTON (CNNMoney.com) -- The Senate on Tuesday voted 90-5 to approve a bill that will make it tougher for credit card issuers to raise fees and interest rates starting early next year.
The bill includes an unrelated measure that would allow people to carry concealed weapons into national parks.
The bill now goes to the House, which is expected to take it up on Wednesday and pass it before the weekend. The bill would get to President Obama's desk before Memorial Day, as he called for.
"To have the industry reaching and be as abusive to consumers, it needed to stop and it needed to change," said Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., a bill sponsor.
The legislation is moderately tougher on card issuers than are new Federal Reserve rules that take effect in July 2010.
The Senate's bill would take effect in nine months and make it harder for people under age 21 to get credit cards. It would also ban rate hikes unless a consumer is more than 60 days late - and then restore the previous rate after six months if minimum payments are made.
The banking industry decried the bill, saying it would exacerbate the credit crisis and force banks to drop some risky credit card holders.
"We are concerned that the Senate bill will have a dramatic impact on the ability of consumers, students, and small businesses to obtain and use credit cards," said American Bankers Association president Edward Yingling
The credit card legislation has been a long work in progress. The House passed a bill in 2008 and again earlier this year. The legislation, which stalled in past years, was propelled by public outrage and pressure by President Obama.
"I'm very glad to have these reforms within reach at long last," said the bill's House sponsor, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y. "To Sen. Dodd's credit, he has enhanced my bill in a few areas - especially in extending from 30 to 60 days before penalty rate hikes can kick in on existing balances."
Maloney added she thought it "unfortunate," that the measure to allow concealed weapons in national parks remained on the credit card bill, especially since Memorial Day kicks off the summer season at national parks. She planned to vote against the gun provision but said it shouldn't block the bill's final passage.
In recent few months, credit card companies have been raising fees and interest rates. From November 2008 to February 2009, rates increased from an average to 13.08% from 12.02%, according to a Federal Reserve Board report.
At the same time, more people are not able to make their credit cards payments and are walking away from the debt, according to a Federal Reserve report.
However, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner said Monday he was not concerned about a consumer debt "bubble."
"Americans are going to be reducing how much they borrow, improving their balance sheets, saving more," he said. "Banks are still going to have losses they're going to have to adjust to. And that's what's going to make the process of repair here longer. . .But that's a necessary, healthy process of adjustment for us to go through."
Friday, May 15, 2009
TOSHIBA - Sr. Representative- Retail Access
TOSHIBA AMERICA INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INC.
JOB TITLE: Sr. Representative – Computer Accessories
FUNCTION: Marketing
JOB CLASSIFICATION: Regular Full-time
LOCATION: Irvine Headquarters
DIVISION: Digital Products Division
JOB CODE: TBD/TAIS
JOB OVERVIEW:
Develop, present and manage a full product line of Toshiba branded computer accessories targeting the retail channel. Jointly with the Sales team, interact with buyers to present and ultimately assort product line. Manage forecast process and program budgets by account.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Establish relationships with retail accessory buyers across multiple categories.
• Develop and design products to meet specific retail opportunities which include working closely with retail partners to find mainstream and niche opportunities, Retail Packaging, and product development requirements.
• Create and develop marketing programs and promotions to support Retail assortment such as launch materials, circular participation, end caps and front/back end programs.
• Create and administer product forecast and programs budget. (e.g. providing retail forecast in monthly planning process, creating and administering marketing programs, and managing programs within set MDF budgets).
• Assume responsibility of full accessory lifecycle management of product flow through the retail channel. From development through end of life planning.
• Perform other duties as may be assigned.
REQUIREMENTS:
• BS/BA Marketing, Marketing, or an equivalent combination of education and related business experience.
• Plus a mininum of eight (8) years of experience in Product development, Product launch and Product management.
• Previous experience in program development with large Retailers required.
• Demonstrated ability to drive projects to completion, with excellent organizational skills.
• Outstanding presentation, written and verbal communication skills.
TO APPLY:
Please apply by emailing your resume as a Word.doc attachment to: employment@tais.com including job code TBD in the subject line.
TAIS DIVERSITY:
TAIS supports a diverse workplace and is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the Company to value and promote diversity. Workforce diversity allows the Company to derive benefits from different viewpoints and perspectives in decision-making, fosters greater innovation and creativity, and a broad pool of qualified applicants. Diversity facilitates a broader, richer cultural environment for the Company’s employees.
TAIS BENEFITS:
TAIS has designed a comprehensive, yet flexible, benefit program to offer freedom of choice options to address the different needs you and your family may have. With that in mind, we offer a wide range of health benefits, life activity, education/career development and financial savings/security programs and empower our employees by providing them with the tools and the information they need to effectively manage their health/wellness care.
ABOUT TOSHIBA AMERICA INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INC. (TAIS):
Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., TAIS is comprised of four business units: Digital Products Division, Imaging Systems Division, Storage Device Division, and Telecommunication Systems Division. Together, these divisions provide mobile products and solutions, including industry leading portable computers; projectors; imaging products for the security, medical and manufacturing markets; storage products for automotive, computer and consumer electronics applications; and telephony equipment and associated applications.
TAIS provides sales, marketing and services for its wide range of information products in the United States and Latin America. TAIS is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, which is a global leader in high technology and integrated manufacturing of electrical and electronic components, products and systems, as well as major infrastructure systems. Toshiba was founded in 1875, and today operates a global network of more than 740 companies, with 198,000 employees worldwide and annual sales surpassing US $76 billion. For more information on Toshiba’s leading innovations, visit the company’s Web site at www.toshiba.com.
JOB TITLE: Sr. Representative – Computer Accessories
FUNCTION: Marketing
JOB CLASSIFICATION: Regular Full-time
LOCATION: Irvine Headquarters
DIVISION: Digital Products Division
JOB CODE: TBD/TAIS
JOB OVERVIEW:
Develop, present and manage a full product line of Toshiba branded computer accessories targeting the retail channel. Jointly with the Sales team, interact with buyers to present and ultimately assort product line. Manage forecast process and program budgets by account.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Establish relationships with retail accessory buyers across multiple categories.
• Develop and design products to meet specific retail opportunities which include working closely with retail partners to find mainstream and niche opportunities, Retail Packaging, and product development requirements.
• Create and develop marketing programs and promotions to support Retail assortment such as launch materials, circular participation, end caps and front/back end programs.
• Create and administer product forecast and programs budget. (e.g. providing retail forecast in monthly planning process, creating and administering marketing programs, and managing programs within set MDF budgets).
• Assume responsibility of full accessory lifecycle management of product flow through the retail channel. From development through end of life planning.
• Perform other duties as may be assigned.
REQUIREMENTS:
• BS/BA Marketing, Marketing, or an equivalent combination of education and related business experience.
• Plus a mininum of eight (8) years of experience in Product development, Product launch and Product management.
• Previous experience in program development with large Retailers required.
• Demonstrated ability to drive projects to completion, with excellent organizational skills.
• Outstanding presentation, written and verbal communication skills.
TO APPLY:
Please apply by emailing your resume as a Word.doc attachment to: employment@tais.com including job code TBD in the subject line.
TAIS DIVERSITY:
TAIS supports a diverse workplace and is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the Company to value and promote diversity. Workforce diversity allows the Company to derive benefits from different viewpoints and perspectives in decision-making, fosters greater innovation and creativity, and a broad pool of qualified applicants. Diversity facilitates a broader, richer cultural environment for the Company’s employees.
TAIS BENEFITS:
TAIS has designed a comprehensive, yet flexible, benefit program to offer freedom of choice options to address the different needs you and your family may have. With that in mind, we offer a wide range of health benefits, life activity, education/career development and financial savings/security programs and empower our employees by providing them with the tools and the information they need to effectively manage their health/wellness care.
ABOUT TOSHIBA AMERICA INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INC. (TAIS):
Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., TAIS is comprised of four business units: Digital Products Division, Imaging Systems Division, Storage Device Division, and Telecommunication Systems Division. Together, these divisions provide mobile products and solutions, including industry leading portable computers; projectors; imaging products for the security, medical and manufacturing markets; storage products for automotive, computer and consumer electronics applications; and telephony equipment and associated applications.
TAIS provides sales, marketing and services for its wide range of information products in the United States and Latin America. TAIS is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, which is a global leader in high technology and integrated manufacturing of electrical and electronic components, products and systems, as well as major infrastructure systems. Toshiba was founded in 1875, and today operates a global network of more than 740 companies, with 198,000 employees worldwide and annual sales surpassing US $76 billion. For more information on Toshiba’s leading innovations, visit the company’s Web site at www.toshiba.com.
TOSHIBA - Manager- Ecommerce & Online Marketing
TOSHIBA AMERICA INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INC.
JOB TITLE: Manager – Ecommerce and Online Marketing
FUNCTION: Marketing
JOB CLASSIFICATION: Regular Full-time
LOCATION: Irvine, CA
DIVISION: Digital Product Division
JOB CODE: 004298/TAIS
JOB OVERVIEW:
Responsible for the overall marketing management of the ToshibaDirect.com website as well as other online and database marketing activities.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Directly manages members of the online marketing team and oversees resources responsible for demand generation. Areas of responsibility include merchandising, analytics, email marketing, affiliate marketing, search marketing, price comparison engines and database maintenance resources.
• Owns primary responsibility for the marketing success of the ecommerce website at ToshibaDirect.com, including achievement of sales goals. Works with the internal resources, external vendors, and internal stakeholders to accomplish objectives.
• Creates, proactively communicates, and executes e-commerce strategy as it relates to marketing and the management of the website. Works with VP of Online Marketing, VP of Direct Sales, and Laptop Product Management to develop broader strategies for growth of direct business.
• Responsible for search- and email-related activities driving traffic to ToshibaDirect.com and to other Toshiba web properties (e.g., explore.toshiba.com).
• Works with team to establish benchmarks for site traffic, and develops policy, process and strategies to increase both quality and quantity.
• Responsible for management of product registration and marketing database activities. Works with subordinates and IT resources to maintain and improve database and related business intelligence tools.
• Manages web merchandising resources to establish and achieve conversion, average cart value, and attach rate objectives through design and usability enhancements, product enhancements, creative execution, etc.
• Creates, obtains approval, and manages budgets in six month intervals for use in demand generation, website management, and database and registration activities.
• Creates, gains consensus, and manages six-month ToshibaDirect.com promotional calendars using approved promotional funds. Communicates promotions and limitations to key stakeholders and ensures accurate and appropriate execution.
• Works with Accessories Product Marketing Team to specifically optimize the sales of Toshiba accessories through ToshibaDirect.com through demand generation and website activities, communications, and promotions.
• Responsible for prioritizing and managing the ToshibaDirect IT project list based on projects’ respective contribution to business goals. Works with IT resources and manages subordinates in developing business requirements documentation and ensuring the successful, timely launch of required projects.
• Manages vendors within the online marketing and e-commerce ecosystem, including contract negotiation, vendor research, project management, etc.
• Responsible for growth and development of the ecommerce team through close, daily interaction, establishment of goals and objectives, and evaluation of performance.
• Evaluates success of ecommerce activities, identifies problems and opportunities, and determines course of action to address any challenges. Presents monthly update to management and other stakeholders regarding e-commerce marketing activities. Prepares or oversees preparation of other communication as required by management or other stakeholders.
REQUIREMENTS:
• BA/BS required; MBA a plus.
• Minimum of eight (8) years directly relevant experience in working with websites and e-marketing.
• Demonstrated ability to manage teams and maximize output from limited resources.
• Must be data-focused and possess experience in identifying business needs, understanding which data points are important to these needs, and using these data to drive programs toward given objectives.
• Demonstrated ability to identify, investigate, and act on opportunities to improve business performance.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and ability to understand and address the communications needs of executive management a must.
• Experience in vendor management.
• Experience with online demand generation activities, website design and optimization, site usability, database marketing, project management, and web analytics required.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to handle multiple simultaneous requirements and establish and act on priorities.
• Ability to meet deadlines and make effective decisions.
• Knowledge of current best practices in relevant disciplines.
• Willingness to travel and attend industry conferences and events 3-6 times per year.
TO APPLY:
Please apply by emailing your resume as a Word.doc attachment to: employment@tais.com including job code TBD in the subject line.
TAIS DIVERSITY:
TAIS supports a diverse workplace and is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the Company to value and promote diversity. Workforce diversity allows the Company to derive benefits from different viewpoints and perspectives in decision-making, fosters greater innovation and creativity, and a broad pool of qualified applicants. Diversity facilitates a broader, richer cultural environment for the Company’s employees.
TAIS BENEFITS:
TAIS has designed a comprehensive, yet flexible, benefit program to offer freedom of choice options to address the different needs you and your family may have. With that in mind, we offer a wide range of health benefits, life activity, education/career development and financial savings/security programs and empower our employees by providing them with the tools and the information they need to effectively manage their health/wellness care.
ABOUT TOSHIBA AMERICA INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INC. (TAIS):
Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., TAIS is comprised of four business units: Digital Products Division, Imaging Systems Division, Storage Device Division, and Telecommunication Systems Division. Together, these divisions provide mobile products and solutions, including industry leading portable computers; projectors; imaging products for the security, medical and manufacturing markets; storage products for automotive, computer and consumer electronics applications; and telephony equipment and associated applications.
TAIS provides sales, marketing and services for its wide range of information products in the United States and Latin America. TAIS is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, which is a global leader in high technology and integrated manufacturing of electrical and electronic components, products and systems, as well as major infrastructure systems. Toshiba was founded in 1875, and today operates a global network of more than 740 companies, with 198,000 employees worldwide and annual sales surpassing US $76 billion. For more information on Toshiba’s leading innovations, visit the company’s Web site at www.toshiba.com.
TAIS DIVERSITY:
TAIS supports a diverse workplace and is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the Company to value and promote diversity. Workforce diversity allows the Company to derive benefits from different viewpoints and perspectives in decision-making, fosters greater innovation and creativity, and a broad pool of qualified applicants. Diversity facilitates a broader, richer cultural environment for the Company’s employees.
TAIS BENEFITS:
TAIS has designed a comprehensive, yet flexible, benefit program to offer freedom of choice options to address the different needs you and your family may have. With that in mind, we offer a wide range of health benefits, life activity, education/career development and financial savings/security programs and empower our employees by providing them with the tools and the information they need to effectively manage their health/wellness care.
ABOUT TOSHIBA AMERICA INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INC. (TAIS):
Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., TAIS is comprised of four business units: Digital Products Division, Imaging Systems Division, Storage Device Division, and Telecommunication Systems Division. Together, these divisions provide mobile products and solutions, including industry leading portable computers; projectors; imaging products for the security, medical and manufacturing markets; storage products for automotive, computer and consumer electronics applications; and telephony equipment and associated applications.
TAIS provides sales, marketing and services for its wide range of information products in the United States and Latin America. TAIS is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, which is a global leader in high technology and integrated manufacturing of electrical and electronic components, products and systems, as well as major infrastructure systems. Toshiba has world wide sales of over $60 billion and approximately 300 subsidiaries and affiliates worldwide. For more information visit the company’s Website at www.toshiba.com.
JOB TITLE: Manager – Ecommerce and Online Marketing
FUNCTION: Marketing
JOB CLASSIFICATION: Regular Full-time
LOCATION: Irvine, CA
DIVISION: Digital Product Division
JOB CODE: 004298/TAIS
JOB OVERVIEW:
Responsible for the overall marketing management of the ToshibaDirect.com website as well as other online and database marketing activities.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Directly manages members of the online marketing team and oversees resources responsible for demand generation. Areas of responsibility include merchandising, analytics, email marketing, affiliate marketing, search marketing, price comparison engines and database maintenance resources.
• Owns primary responsibility for the marketing success of the ecommerce website at ToshibaDirect.com, including achievement of sales goals. Works with the internal resources, external vendors, and internal stakeholders to accomplish objectives.
• Creates, proactively communicates, and executes e-commerce strategy as it relates to marketing and the management of the website. Works with VP of Online Marketing, VP of Direct Sales, and Laptop Product Management to develop broader strategies for growth of direct business.
• Responsible for search- and email-related activities driving traffic to ToshibaDirect.com and to other Toshiba web properties (e.g., explore.toshiba.com).
• Works with team to establish benchmarks for site traffic, and develops policy, process and strategies to increase both quality and quantity.
• Responsible for management of product registration and marketing database activities. Works with subordinates and IT resources to maintain and improve database and related business intelligence tools.
• Manages web merchandising resources to establish and achieve conversion, average cart value, and attach rate objectives through design and usability enhancements, product enhancements, creative execution, etc.
• Creates, obtains approval, and manages budgets in six month intervals for use in demand generation, website management, and database and registration activities.
• Creates, gains consensus, and manages six-month ToshibaDirect.com promotional calendars using approved promotional funds. Communicates promotions and limitations to key stakeholders and ensures accurate and appropriate execution.
• Works with Accessories Product Marketing Team to specifically optimize the sales of Toshiba accessories through ToshibaDirect.com through demand generation and website activities, communications, and promotions.
• Responsible for prioritizing and managing the ToshibaDirect IT project list based on projects’ respective contribution to business goals. Works with IT resources and manages subordinates in developing business requirements documentation and ensuring the successful, timely launch of required projects.
• Manages vendors within the online marketing and e-commerce ecosystem, including contract negotiation, vendor research, project management, etc.
• Responsible for growth and development of the ecommerce team through close, daily interaction, establishment of goals and objectives, and evaluation of performance.
• Evaluates success of ecommerce activities, identifies problems and opportunities, and determines course of action to address any challenges. Presents monthly update to management and other stakeholders regarding e-commerce marketing activities. Prepares or oversees preparation of other communication as required by management or other stakeholders.
REQUIREMENTS:
• BA/BS required; MBA a plus.
• Minimum of eight (8) years directly relevant experience in working with websites and e-marketing.
• Demonstrated ability to manage teams and maximize output from limited resources.
• Must be data-focused and possess experience in identifying business needs, understanding which data points are important to these needs, and using these data to drive programs toward given objectives.
• Demonstrated ability to identify, investigate, and act on opportunities to improve business performance.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and ability to understand and address the communications needs of executive management a must.
• Experience in vendor management.
• Experience with online demand generation activities, website design and optimization, site usability, database marketing, project management, and web analytics required.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to handle multiple simultaneous requirements and establish and act on priorities.
• Ability to meet deadlines and make effective decisions.
• Knowledge of current best practices in relevant disciplines.
• Willingness to travel and attend industry conferences and events 3-6 times per year.
TO APPLY:
Please apply by emailing your resume as a Word.doc attachment to: employment@tais.com including job code TBD in the subject line.
TAIS DIVERSITY:
TAIS supports a diverse workplace and is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the Company to value and promote diversity. Workforce diversity allows the Company to derive benefits from different viewpoints and perspectives in decision-making, fosters greater innovation and creativity, and a broad pool of qualified applicants. Diversity facilitates a broader, richer cultural environment for the Company’s employees.
TAIS BENEFITS:
TAIS has designed a comprehensive, yet flexible, benefit program to offer freedom of choice options to address the different needs you and your family may have. With that in mind, we offer a wide range of health benefits, life activity, education/career development and financial savings/security programs and empower our employees by providing them with the tools and the information they need to effectively manage their health/wellness care.
ABOUT TOSHIBA AMERICA INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INC. (TAIS):
Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., TAIS is comprised of four business units: Digital Products Division, Imaging Systems Division, Storage Device Division, and Telecommunication Systems Division. Together, these divisions provide mobile products and solutions, including industry leading portable computers; projectors; imaging products for the security, medical and manufacturing markets; storage products for automotive, computer and consumer electronics applications; and telephony equipment and associated applications.
TAIS provides sales, marketing and services for its wide range of information products in the United States and Latin America. TAIS is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, which is a global leader in high technology and integrated manufacturing of electrical and electronic components, products and systems, as well as major infrastructure systems. Toshiba was founded in 1875, and today operates a global network of more than 740 companies, with 198,000 employees worldwide and annual sales surpassing US $76 billion. For more information on Toshiba’s leading innovations, visit the company’s Web site at www.toshiba.com.
TAIS DIVERSITY:
TAIS supports a diverse workplace and is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the Company to value and promote diversity. Workforce diversity allows the Company to derive benefits from different viewpoints and perspectives in decision-making, fosters greater innovation and creativity, and a broad pool of qualified applicants. Diversity facilitates a broader, richer cultural environment for the Company’s employees.
TAIS BENEFITS:
TAIS has designed a comprehensive, yet flexible, benefit program to offer freedom of choice options to address the different needs you and your family may have. With that in mind, we offer a wide range of health benefits, life activity, education/career development and financial savings/security programs and empower our employees by providing them with the tools and the information they need to effectively manage their health/wellness care.
ABOUT TOSHIBA AMERICA INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INC. (TAIS):
Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., TAIS is comprised of four business units: Digital Products Division, Imaging Systems Division, Storage Device Division, and Telecommunication Systems Division. Together, these divisions provide mobile products and solutions, including industry leading portable computers; projectors; imaging products for the security, medical and manufacturing markets; storage products for automotive, computer and consumer electronics applications; and telephony equipment and associated applications.
TAIS provides sales, marketing and services for its wide range of information products in the United States and Latin America. TAIS is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, which is a global leader in high technology and integrated manufacturing of electrical and electronic components, products and systems, as well as major infrastructure systems. Toshiba has world wide sales of over $60 billion and approximately 300 subsidiaries and affiliates worldwide. For more information visit the company’s Website at www.toshiba.com.
TOSHIBA - eCommerce and Online Marketing Manager (requisition #004298/CA10130453)
TOSHIBA AMERICA INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INC.
JOB TITLE: Senior Representative - Web Content
FUNCTION: Marketing
JOB CLASSIFICATION: Regular Full-time
LOCATION: Irvine Headquarters
DIVISION: Digital Products Division
JOB CODE: 004300/TAIS
JOB OVERVIEW:
Responsible for coordinating and managing web content, programs and product launches to support the ToshibaDirect.com and Explore.Toshiba.com websites.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Works with product marketing managers to write and maintain accurate and relevant product information on the web.
• Works with web merchandisers to implement promotional offers on ToshibaDirect.com including set up and maintenance of coupons, rebates and other incentives.
• Identifies new tools and process improvements that increase web shopper conversion and/or provides a world-class web user experience.
• Collaborates with the ToshibaDirect.com marketing group and product marketing teams to develop, manage and maintain web-based laptop accessory locators.
• Evaluates, recommends, and executes additional web merchandising opportunities for laptop accessory products to help drive incremental sales through ToshibaDirect.com.
• Provides assistance to the web product launch team to provide support as needed on new laptop product launches and build-to-order configurations.
• Works with various marketing groups as well as external vendors to manage and maintain web campaign tracking codes and analytics.
• Acts as point of contact for accessory product marketing group and works with web project managers and the ToshibaDirect.com marketing group to support various product initiatives on the web.
• Identifies opportunities for improving the overall web user experience on ToshibaDirect.com and Explore.Toshiba.com.
REQUIREMENTS:
• BA/BS required.
• 3-5 years related experience in web merchandising, content or similar web marketing field.
• Must possess the demonstrated ability to work with other teams to identify business needs and translate them into web requirements.
• Ability to identify, investigate, and act on opportunities to improve business performance.
• Intermediate web design skills including knowledge of HTML and Adobe Photoshop is highly desirable.
• Experience with organic search and SEO is desirable.
• Experience with content management systems (CMS) preferred.
• Strong organizational and time management skills and ability to work independently.
• Ability to handle multiple simultaneous requirements and establish and act on priorities.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to understand and address the communications needs of executive management.
• Ability to meet deadlines and make effective decisions.
• Experience with web analytics and reporting tools (Coremetrics, Google Analytics) is a plus.
TO APPLY:
Please apply by emailing your resume as a Word.doc attachment to: employment@tais.com including job code TBD in the subject line.
TAIS DIVERSITY:
TAIS supports a diverse workplace and is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the Company to value and promote diversity. Workforce diversity allows the Company to derive benefits from different viewpoints and perspectives in decision-making, fosters greater innovation and creativity, and a broad pool of qualified applicants. Diversity facilitates a broader, richer cultural environment for the Company’s employees.
TAIS BENEFITS:
TAIS has designed a comprehensive, yet flexible, benefit program to offer freedom of choice options to address the different needs you and your family may have. With that in mind, we offer a wide range of health benefits, life activity, education/career development and financial savings/security programs and empower our employees by providing them with the tools and the information they need to effectively manage their health/wellness care.
ABOUT TOSHIBA AMERICA INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INC. (TAIS):
Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., TAIS is comprised of four business units: Digital Products Division, Imaging Systems Division, Storage Device Division, and Telecommunication Systems Division. Together, these divisions provide mobile products and solutions, including industry leading portable computers; projectors; imaging products for the security, medical and manufacturing markets; storage products for automotive, computer and consumer electronics applications; and telephony equipment and associated applications.
TAIS provides sales, marketing and services for its wide range of information products in the United States and Latin America. TAIS is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, which is a global leader in high technology and integrated manufacturing of electrical and electronic components, products and systems, as well as major infrastructure systems. Toshiba was founded in 1875, and today operates a global network of more than 740 companies, with 198,000 employees worldwide and annual sales surpassing US $76 billion. For more information on Toshiba’s leading innovations, visit the company’s Web site at www.toshiba.com.
JOB TITLE: Senior Representative - Web Content
FUNCTION: Marketing
JOB CLASSIFICATION: Regular Full-time
LOCATION: Irvine Headquarters
DIVISION: Digital Products Division
JOB CODE: 004300/TAIS
JOB OVERVIEW:
Responsible for coordinating and managing web content, programs and product launches to support the ToshibaDirect.com and Explore.Toshiba.com websites.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Works with product marketing managers to write and maintain accurate and relevant product information on the web.
• Works with web merchandisers to implement promotional offers on ToshibaDirect.com including set up and maintenance of coupons, rebates and other incentives.
• Identifies new tools and process improvements that increase web shopper conversion and/or provides a world-class web user experience.
• Collaborates with the ToshibaDirect.com marketing group and product marketing teams to develop, manage and maintain web-based laptop accessory locators.
• Evaluates, recommends, and executes additional web merchandising opportunities for laptop accessory products to help drive incremental sales through ToshibaDirect.com.
• Provides assistance to the web product launch team to provide support as needed on new laptop product launches and build-to-order configurations.
• Works with various marketing groups as well as external vendors to manage and maintain web campaign tracking codes and analytics.
• Acts as point of contact for accessory product marketing group and works with web project managers and the ToshibaDirect.com marketing group to support various product initiatives on the web.
• Identifies opportunities for improving the overall web user experience on ToshibaDirect.com and Explore.Toshiba.com.
REQUIREMENTS:
• BA/BS required.
• 3-5 years related experience in web merchandising, content or similar web marketing field.
• Must possess the demonstrated ability to work with other teams to identify business needs and translate them into web requirements.
• Ability to identify, investigate, and act on opportunities to improve business performance.
• Intermediate web design skills including knowledge of HTML and Adobe Photoshop is highly desirable.
• Experience with organic search and SEO is desirable.
• Experience with content management systems (CMS) preferred.
• Strong organizational and time management skills and ability to work independently.
• Ability to handle multiple simultaneous requirements and establish and act on priorities.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to understand and address the communications needs of executive management.
• Ability to meet deadlines and make effective decisions.
• Experience with web analytics and reporting tools (Coremetrics, Google Analytics) is a plus.
TO APPLY:
Please apply by emailing your resume as a Word.doc attachment to: employment@tais.com including job code TBD in the subject line.
TAIS DIVERSITY:
TAIS supports a diverse workplace and is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the Company to value and promote diversity. Workforce diversity allows the Company to derive benefits from different viewpoints and perspectives in decision-making, fosters greater innovation and creativity, and a broad pool of qualified applicants. Diversity facilitates a broader, richer cultural environment for the Company’s employees.
TAIS BENEFITS:
TAIS has designed a comprehensive, yet flexible, benefit program to offer freedom of choice options to address the different needs you and your family may have. With that in mind, we offer a wide range of health benefits, life activity, education/career development and financial savings/security programs and empower our employees by providing them with the tools and the information they need to effectively manage their health/wellness care.
ABOUT TOSHIBA AMERICA INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INC. (TAIS):
Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., TAIS is comprised of four business units: Digital Products Division, Imaging Systems Division, Storage Device Division, and Telecommunication Systems Division. Together, these divisions provide mobile products and solutions, including industry leading portable computers; projectors; imaging products for the security, medical and manufacturing markets; storage products for automotive, computer and consumer electronics applications; and telephony equipment and associated applications.
TAIS provides sales, marketing and services for its wide range of information products in the United States and Latin America. TAIS is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, which is a global leader in high technology and integrated manufacturing of electrical and electronic components, products and systems, as well as major infrastructure systems. Toshiba was founded in 1875, and today operates a global network of more than 740 companies, with 198,000 employees worldwide and annual sales surpassing US $76 billion. For more information on Toshiba’s leading innovations, visit the company’s Web site at www.toshiba.com.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Cell Phone - National DO NOT CALL List
All cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies as of 05-12-2009
You may begin receiving sales calls and you will be charged for those calls.
To prevent this, call 888-382-1222 from your cell phone.
It is the National DO NOT CALL service & it will only take a few minutes to register your cell phone number, which will block your number for five (5) years!
If you are already registered.....
Your registration will not expire. Telephone numbers placed on the National Do Not Call Registry will remain on it permanently due to the Do-Not-Call Improvement Act of 2007, which became law in February 2008.
Read more about it at http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2008/04/dncfyi.shtm.
https://www.donotcall.gov/
You may begin receiving sales calls and you will be charged for those calls.
To prevent this, call 888-382-1222 from your cell phone.
It is the National DO NOT CALL service & it will only take a few minutes to register your cell phone number, which will block your number for five (5) years!
If you are already registered.....
Your registration will not expire. Telephone numbers placed on the National Do Not Call Registry will remain on it permanently due to the Do-Not-Call Improvement Act of 2007, which became law in February 2008.
Read more about it at http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2008/04/dncfyi.shtm.
https://www.donotcall.gov/
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Stimulus Act Benefits for the Unemployed
If you’re struggling with unemployment, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act includes provisions to help you. From increased unemployment insurance benefits to COBRA changes, get the details here.
http://career-advice.monster.com/salary-benefits/Benefits-Information/Stimulus-Unemployed-Benefits/article.aspx?WT.mc_n=CRMUS000096
http://career-advice.monster.com/salary-benefits/Benefits-Information/Stimulus-Unemployed-Benefits/article.aspx?WT.mc_n=CRMUS000096
Job Quest
Good morning!
Another resource for Job-Seekers, shared by the Staff at the One-Stop. It features a free 95-page guide on finding a job. This is the link: www.FreeJobSearchBook.com .
Also, FreeJobSearchBook.com now features a live chat. If any job-seekers have thoughts or questions, they can go to the site for a live chat and get immediate feedback. All this is the courtesy of John Swartz who is the Author of JobQuest and the book.
Another resource for Job-Seekers, shared by the Staff at the One-Stop. It features a free 95-page guide on finding a job. This is the link: www.FreeJobSearchBook.com .
Also, FreeJobSearchBook.com now features a live chat. If any job-seekers have thoughts or questions, they can go to the site for a live chat and get immediate feedback. All this is the courtesy of John Swartz who is the Author of JobQuest and the book.
ARTICLE: HOW TO NOT GET THE JOB
How To....Find Your Perfect Job!
All the information you'll ever need to take control of your career!
Published every other Thursday by The How-To Job Coach of Find the Perfect Job
April 23,2009 2009
Volume v, issue 9
HOW TO NOT GET THE JOB
Needleman opens by recounting what some recruiters from Consolidated Container Co. told her: some candidates have arrived up to an hour early for interviews. Others have alluded to their financial hardships. To quote Needleman, "These sorts of tactics aren't exactly winners." Know why? Both of those scream DESPERATE!!! !!
Anyone who was participating in either of my webinars last week knows I went into detail on why desperation does not breed objectivity, and why, although it sounds like the opposite of what you should do, the more focused and discriminating you are, the better your chances are, not worse.
Employers want someone who wants them, just like you do. Employers want to hire someone who knows what they (the job seeker) want, knows what their ideal company and position look like, has done their homework, and is targeted in on finding that opportunity. They want someone who has researched the company, asks astute and knowledgeable questions, and wants this job and this company, not any job and any company. And by the way, you can want five jobs with five companies, just make sure that when you speak with each of those companies, you make each one feel like they're the only company of interest to you, okay?
Needleman quotes David Gaspin, Director of HR at 5W Public Relations in New York. "I've had times where people come in and it's clear that if they really had their preference, they'd be doing something different," he says. "You don't want to put that out on the table. Nobody wants to hire someone who's going to run for the door when times get better."
Exactly. Do you know anyone who likes being runner up? Or even further down the list when they're chosen? The company has put work into hiring someone. They've put together a job description, studied resumes, conducted phone interviews, brought people in to ascertain skills and personality and fit. They're looking for the person who is looking for them.
But people who play it like they just need a job make it easy for HR directors like Gaspin, because as soon as the job seeker leaves, Gaspin throws the resume in the trash can. And the person can follow up all they want, but they're dead in the water. And probably without a clue as to why.
Because of the competitiveness of the market, you need to go that extra mile. Just as I went through in length in the "How to Ace A First Interview" webinar last Thursday, you need to know what your accomplishments are (hint: they're not the job description that's probably on your resume), and how those impacted your previous employers. You need to have studied the company's ad and virtually memorized it, not just skimmed it and whipped off a resume and cover letter to it. And you need to know how your skills go with what they want. And you need to be able to say all that to them.
According to Needleman's article, Kathy Marsico, SVP of HR at PDI in Saddle River, NJ, says candidates must be able to show how they're a strong fit for the position that they're seeking. "You must differentiate yourself like never before," she says. "You need to customize yourself and make yourself memorable."
And when no one else is doing this, being able to makes you stand out. As a recruiter, the one thing I did was prep my candidates. They went into the interview knowing up oneside and down the other how they fit with what the company wanted and how to say why they wanted to work there. They knew about the company culture, the company goals, the ups and downs of the position. They knew everything I did about my client. And my client knew everything about the candidate that I did. About the only thing I couldn't gauge was the personality mix.
Invariably, that's why my clients hired the first or second person I sent them. Everyone was prepped and thoroughly pre-qualified. So do yourself a favor. Do your homework. Have some pride and discretion, and if you don't, then act like it. Employers don't hire based on sympathy and desperation.
All the information you'll ever need to take control of your career!
Published every other Thursday by The How-To Job Coach of Find the Perfect Job
April 23,2009 2009
Volume v, issue 9
HOW TO NOT GET THE JOB
Needleman opens by recounting what some recruiters from Consolidated Container Co. told her: some candidates have arrived up to an hour early for interviews. Others have alluded to their financial hardships. To quote Needleman, "These sorts of tactics aren't exactly winners." Know why? Both of those scream DESPERATE!!! !!
Anyone who was participating in either of my webinars last week knows I went into detail on why desperation does not breed objectivity, and why, although it sounds like the opposite of what you should do, the more focused and discriminating you are, the better your chances are, not worse.
Employers want someone who wants them, just like you do. Employers want to hire someone who knows what they (the job seeker) want, knows what their ideal company and position look like, has done their homework, and is targeted in on finding that opportunity. They want someone who has researched the company, asks astute and knowledgeable questions, and wants this job and this company, not any job and any company. And by the way, you can want five jobs with five companies, just make sure that when you speak with each of those companies, you make each one feel like they're the only company of interest to you, okay?
Needleman quotes David Gaspin, Director of HR at 5W Public Relations in New York. "I've had times where people come in and it's clear that if they really had their preference, they'd be doing something different," he says. "You don't want to put that out on the table. Nobody wants to hire someone who's going to run for the door when times get better."
Exactly. Do you know anyone who likes being runner up? Or even further down the list when they're chosen? The company has put work into hiring someone. They've put together a job description, studied resumes, conducted phone interviews, brought people in to ascertain skills and personality and fit. They're looking for the person who is looking for them.
But people who play it like they just need a job make it easy for HR directors like Gaspin, because as soon as the job seeker leaves, Gaspin throws the resume in the trash can. And the person can follow up all they want, but they're dead in the water. And probably without a clue as to why.
Because of the competitiveness of the market, you need to go that extra mile. Just as I went through in length in the "How to Ace A First Interview" webinar last Thursday, you need to know what your accomplishments are (hint: they're not the job description that's probably on your resume), and how those impacted your previous employers. You need to have studied the company's ad and virtually memorized it, not just skimmed it and whipped off a resume and cover letter to it. And you need to know how your skills go with what they want. And you need to be able to say all that to them.
According to Needleman's article, Kathy Marsico, SVP of HR at PDI in Saddle River, NJ, says candidates must be able to show how they're a strong fit for the position that they're seeking. "You must differentiate yourself like never before," she says. "You need to customize yourself and make yourself memorable."
And when no one else is doing this, being able to makes you stand out. As a recruiter, the one thing I did was prep my candidates. They went into the interview knowing up oneside and down the other how they fit with what the company wanted and how to say why they wanted to work there. They knew about the company culture, the company goals, the ups and downs of the position. They knew everything I did about my client. And my client knew everything about the candidate that I did. About the only thing I couldn't gauge was the personality mix.
Invariably, that's why my clients hired the first or second person I sent them. Everyone was prepped and thoroughly pre-qualified. So do yourself a favor. Do your homework. Have some pride and discretion, and if you don't, then act like it. Employers don't hire based on sympathy and desperation.
Article: Switching Career Paths During Hard Times
By Jennifer Merritt, Carolyn Bigda and Donna Rosato, MONEY Magazine
Switching fields may seem taboo, but it's quite doable, especially now when labor markets are tight. Almost half of the 164 employers who responded to our MONEY Magazine-Salary. com survey say they regularly target mid-career changers when recruiting.
One reason: Switchers are dedicated to their move, with 32 percent saying they'll spend "as long as it takes" to get the necessary certification and schooling.
What are they looking for? Pay and advancement, sure, but also fulfillment and a sense that they can control their career paths.
Steve Mullins, 44, already has a good job: He's a telecommunications engineer for a pharmaceutical company. But he's studying to become a nurse -- it's a top job for career changers because demand is so high. "They can offshore my job any day of the week," says Mullins of Noblesville, Indiana. "And of course, when you fix a router, it doesn't say thanks."
To make your case to a hiring manager, follow these tips:
1. Show your commitment.
"Employers are seeing high turnover," says Kimberly Bishop, a senior client partner at recruiter Korn/Ferry International. "They want to make sure you will be the right fit."
You'll be more convincing if you take classes, join industry organizations or moonlight within the field you're exploring before you try to go full time -- and you'll also have a much better idea if this really is the right move for you.
2. Quantify your skills.
It may not be obvious how what you know translates into what they do. So focus on your transferable skills -- not your experience -- in interviews and on your resume.
Quantify your accomplishments: Show that you increased sales X percent or managed Y number of people. "It helps provide the scope and breadth of your accomplishments, " says Bishop, "and it shows you very clearly understand what you've done."
Also highlight areas in your background that give you an advantage. When interviewing for an IT position, Randy Jensen, 36, of Riverton, Utah, pointed out that after 15 years in radio, he has good communication skills. "I can string two sentences together," he says. "I'm not going to be a hermit in a cubicle."
3. Learn the Lingo. Talk the talk.
Learning industry lingo is critical. "If you want to be a brand manager, you need to talk like one," says Ricki Frankel, a career coach who specializes in transitions. Stay up to date on industry trends and read trade publications. Trade publications are also a great source for job leads.
To make the switch from sales engineer to marketing, Todd Cox, 39, of Atlanta, has been reading industry magazines and seeking out mentors. "It may be someone I read about or hear speak," he says. "I tell them what I'm trying to do and ask if they'll coach me along. It doesn't always work, but everyone gives me little tidbits."
4. Take a two-step approach.
"Every career is composed of two main factors, a job title and a particular industry," says Dick Bolles, author of "What Color Is Your Parachute?" "An easier way to transition is to change just one of those factors at a time."
So if you're a lawyer itching to become a travel writer, work as a writer for a legal publication first (new title) and then eventually move into travel writing (new industry).
Or do legal work for a travel publication and contribute pieces until you're able to pick up a writing position.
5. Give yourself enough time.
Quitting on a whim often results in a frantic scramble for a paycheck. Plus, you need to think through logistics. If you have to take a salary cut, how will you cover it? Are you willing to relocate?
It took Susan Rubin, 48, of Armonk, New York, four years to give up her legal practice and become a yoga instructor.
"I was hesitant to make the jump," she says, "but in the meantime, I was training and saving money. It was very hard for me to close the doors of my practice. But once I did, I never looked back."
Switching fields may seem taboo, but it's quite doable, especially now when labor markets are tight. Almost half of the 164 employers who responded to our MONEY Magazine-Salary. com survey say they regularly target mid-career changers when recruiting.
One reason: Switchers are dedicated to their move, with 32 percent saying they'll spend "as long as it takes" to get the necessary certification and schooling.
What are they looking for? Pay and advancement, sure, but also fulfillment and a sense that they can control their career paths.
Steve Mullins, 44, already has a good job: He's a telecommunications engineer for a pharmaceutical company. But he's studying to become a nurse -- it's a top job for career changers because demand is so high. "They can offshore my job any day of the week," says Mullins of Noblesville, Indiana. "And of course, when you fix a router, it doesn't say thanks."
To make your case to a hiring manager, follow these tips:
1. Show your commitment.
"Employers are seeing high turnover," says Kimberly Bishop, a senior client partner at recruiter Korn/Ferry International. "They want to make sure you will be the right fit."
You'll be more convincing if you take classes, join industry organizations or moonlight within the field you're exploring before you try to go full time -- and you'll also have a much better idea if this really is the right move for you.
2. Quantify your skills.
It may not be obvious how what you know translates into what they do. So focus on your transferable skills -- not your experience -- in interviews and on your resume.
Quantify your accomplishments: Show that you increased sales X percent or managed Y number of people. "It helps provide the scope and breadth of your accomplishments, " says Bishop, "and it shows you very clearly understand what you've done."
Also highlight areas in your background that give you an advantage. When interviewing for an IT position, Randy Jensen, 36, of Riverton, Utah, pointed out that after 15 years in radio, he has good communication skills. "I can string two sentences together," he says. "I'm not going to be a hermit in a cubicle."
3. Learn the Lingo. Talk the talk.
Learning industry lingo is critical. "If you want to be a brand manager, you need to talk like one," says Ricki Frankel, a career coach who specializes in transitions. Stay up to date on industry trends and read trade publications. Trade publications are also a great source for job leads.
To make the switch from sales engineer to marketing, Todd Cox, 39, of Atlanta, has been reading industry magazines and seeking out mentors. "It may be someone I read about or hear speak," he says. "I tell them what I'm trying to do and ask if they'll coach me along. It doesn't always work, but everyone gives me little tidbits."
4. Take a two-step approach.
"Every career is composed of two main factors, a job title and a particular industry," says Dick Bolles, author of "What Color Is Your Parachute?" "An easier way to transition is to change just one of those factors at a time."
So if you're a lawyer itching to become a travel writer, work as a writer for a legal publication first (new title) and then eventually move into travel writing (new industry).
Or do legal work for a travel publication and contribute pieces until you're able to pick up a writing position.
5. Give yourself enough time.
Quitting on a whim often results in a frantic scramble for a paycheck. Plus, you need to think through logistics. If you have to take a salary cut, how will you cover it? Are you willing to relocate?
It took Susan Rubin, 48, of Armonk, New York, four years to give up her legal practice and become a yoga instructor.
"I was hesitant to make the jump," she says, "but in the meantime, I was training and saving money. It was very hard for me to close the doors of my practice. But once I did, I never looked back."
The EDD is now hiring Employment Program Representatives for the Unemployment Insurance and Workforce Services programs.
The EDD is now hiring Employment Program Representatives for the Unemployment Insurance and Workforce Services programs.
Are you interested in exploring a career with the State of California's Employment Development Department (EDD)? The EDD is looking for talented and motivated individuals who are eager to channel their knowledge and experience into a rewarding and challenging career in our Unemployment Insurance and Workforce Services programs.
To get a permanent position as an Employment Program Representative (EPR), you must first take the exam.
Take one examination and be on two lists. When taking the EPR Examination you are given a choice to apply for Employment Program Representative and/or Disability Insurance Program Representative. If you meet the minimum qualifications, we encourage you to apply for both.
Step 1: Check Position Description and Minimum Requirements
Check if you meet the Minimum Qualifications for this examination. This is a critical step in the process. Please be informed that, prior to the hiring interview, you will be required to provide copies of your diploma and/or transcripts.
Step 2: Take the Online Examination
If you meet the Minimum Qualifications, we encourage you to take the examination.
Step 3: Check your List Eligibility
We hire individuals within the top three ranks. However, you could become reachable as hires are made and candidates are removed from the list, so we encourage you to apply for all jobs you qualify for. Use the eligible list disclosure tool on the State Personnel Board (SPB) Web site to find your current EPR exam ranking.
Step 4: State Application Form
Complete a Standard State Application Form (STD. 678).
Step 5: Apply for Jobs
If you were successful in the test you may apply for EPR Job Openings. When applying for a vacancy, please attach the following documents:
Standard State Application Form (STD 678)
Copy of your Notice of Examination Result(s)
Copies of Diploma and/or Transcript (if applicable)
Note: The EDD is not required to contact all candidates who are reachable for every vacancy; therefore candidates are encouraged to search for "Employment Program Representative" vacancies and search for "Disability Insurance Program Representative" vacancies and apply.
For a complete listing of all our current open examinations, visit the "Careers with EDD" Section on our Web site.
For questions regarding the examination process, please contact EDD's Exam Hotline at (916) 654-6869.
Connie M. Vasquez
Business Services Coordinator
North County Career Centers
463 North Midway Dr., Ste. 100B
Escondido, CA 92027
(760) 871-1970 Escondido
(760) 871-0346 Fax
conniev@workforce.org
www.sandiegoatwork.com
Equal Opportunity employer/programs. Auxilliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilites.
Are you interested in exploring a career with the State of California's Employment Development Department (EDD)? The EDD is looking for talented and motivated individuals who are eager to channel their knowledge and experience into a rewarding and challenging career in our Unemployment Insurance and Workforce Services programs.
To get a permanent position as an Employment Program Representative (EPR), you must first take the exam.
Take one examination and be on two lists. When taking the EPR Examination you are given a choice to apply for Employment Program Representative and/or Disability Insurance Program Representative. If you meet the minimum qualifications, we encourage you to apply for both.
Step 1: Check Position Description and Minimum Requirements
Check if you meet the Minimum Qualifications for this examination. This is a critical step in the process. Please be informed that, prior to the hiring interview, you will be required to provide copies of your diploma and/or transcripts.
Step 2: Take the Online Examination
If you meet the Minimum Qualifications, we encourage you to take the examination.
Step 3: Check your List Eligibility
We hire individuals within the top three ranks. However, you could become reachable as hires are made and candidates are removed from the list, so we encourage you to apply for all jobs you qualify for. Use the eligible list disclosure tool on the State Personnel Board (SPB) Web site to find your current EPR exam ranking.
Step 4: State Application Form
Complete a Standard State Application Form (STD. 678).
Step 5: Apply for Jobs
If you were successful in the test you may apply for EPR Job Openings. When applying for a vacancy, please attach the following documents:
Standard State Application Form (STD 678)
Copy of your Notice of Examination Result(s)
Copies of Diploma and/or Transcript (if applicable)
Note: The EDD is not required to contact all candidates who are reachable for every vacancy; therefore candidates are encouraged to search for "Employment Program Representative" vacancies and search for "Disability Insurance Program Representative" vacancies and apply.
For a complete listing of all our current open examinations, visit the "Careers with EDD" Section on our Web site.
For questions regarding the examination process, please contact EDD's Exam Hotline at (916) 654-6869.
Connie M. Vasquez
Business Services Coordinator
North County Career Centers
463 North Midway Dr., Ste. 100B
Escondido, CA 92027
(760) 871-1970 Escondido
(760) 871-0346 Fax
conniev@workforce.org
www.sandiegoatwork.com
Equal Opportunity employer/programs. Auxilliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilites.
Subject: DARREL SCOTT-RACHEL SCOTTS FATHER
Subject: DARREL SCOTT-RACHEL SCOTTS FATHER
Guess our national leaders didn't expect this, hmm?
On Thursday, Darrell Scott, the father of Ra chel Scott, a victim of the
Columbine High School shootings in Littleton , Colorado , was invited to
address the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee. What he said to our
national leaders during this special session of Congress was painfully
truthful.
They were not prepared for what he was to say, nor was it received well. It
needs to be heard by every parent, every teacher, every politician, every
sociologist, every psychologist, and every so-called expert! These
courageous words spoken by Darrell Scott are powerful, penetrating, and
deeply personal. There is no doubt that God sent this man as a voice crying
in the wilderness. The following is a portion of the transcript:
"Since the dawn of creation there has been both good & evil in the hearts of
men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the seeds of
violence. The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the
deaths of that heroic teacher, and the other eleven children who died must
not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers.
"The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel out
in the field. The villain was not the club he used. Neither was it the NCA,
the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain, and t he reason for
the murder could only be found in Cain's heart.
"In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how
quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA. I am not a
member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I am not here
to represent or defend the NRA - because I don't believe that they are
responsible for my daughter's death. Therefore I do not believe that they
need to be defended. If I believed they had anything to do with Rachel's
murder I would be their strongest opponent.
I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy -- it was a
spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame
lies! Much of the blame lies here in this room. Much of the blame lies
behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves. I wrote a poem just
four nights ago that expresses my feelings best.
Your laws ignore our deepest needs,
Your words are empty air.
You've stripped away our heritage,
You've outlawed simple prayer.
Now gunshots fill our classrooms,
And precious children die.
You seek for answers everywhere,
And ask the question "Why?"
You regulate restrictive laws,
Through legislative creed.
And yet you fail to understand,
That God is what we need!
" Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, mind, and
spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we create
a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and wreak havoc.
Spiritual presences were present within our educational
Systems for most of our nation's history.
Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries.
We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the doors to hatred
and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine's tragedy occurs
-- politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA.
They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode
away our personal and private liberties.
We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have been
stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who
spends months planning this type of massacre.
The real villain lies within our own hearts.
"As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his two
friends murdered before his very eyes, he did not hesitate to pray in
school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right! I challenge
every young person in America , and around the world, to realize that on
April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School prayer was brought back to our
schools. Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain.
Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation
that violates your God-given right to communicate with Him.
To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA --
I give to you a sincere challenge.
Dare to examine your
Own heart before casting the first stone!
My daughter's death will not be in vain! The young people of this country
will not allow that to happen!"
Do what the media did not - - let the nation hear this man's speech..
Guess our national leaders didn't expect this, hmm?
On Thursday, Darrell Scott, the father of Ra chel Scott, a victim of the
Columbine High School shootings in Littleton , Colorado , was invited to
address the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee. What he said to our
national leaders during this special session of Congress was painfully
truthful.
They were not prepared for what he was to say, nor was it received well. It
needs to be heard by every parent, every teacher, every politician, every
sociologist, every psychologist, and every so-called expert! These
courageous words spoken by Darrell Scott are powerful, penetrating, and
deeply personal. There is no doubt that God sent this man as a voice crying
in the wilderness. The following is a portion of the transcript:
"Since the dawn of creation there has been both good & evil in the hearts of
men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the seeds of
violence. The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the
deaths of that heroic teacher, and the other eleven children who died must
not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers.
"The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel out
in the field. The villain was not the club he used. Neither was it the NCA,
the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain, and t he reason for
the murder could only be found in Cain's heart.
"In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how
quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA. I am not a
member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I am not here
to represent or defend the NRA - because I don't believe that they are
responsible for my daughter's death. Therefore I do not believe that they
need to be defended. If I believed they had anything to do with Rachel's
murder I would be their strongest opponent.
I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy -- it was a
spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame
lies! Much of the blame lies here in this room. Much of the blame lies
behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves. I wrote a poem just
four nights ago that expresses my feelings best.
Your laws ignore our deepest needs,
Your words are empty air.
You've stripped away our heritage,
You've outlawed simple prayer.
Now gunshots fill our classrooms,
And precious children die.
You seek for answers everywhere,
And ask the question "Why?"
You regulate restrictive laws,
Through legislative creed.
And yet you fail to understand,
That God is what we need!
" Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, mind, and
spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we create
a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and wreak havoc.
Spiritual presences were present within our educational
Systems for most of our nation's history.
Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries.
We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the doors to hatred
and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine's tragedy occurs
-- politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA.
They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode
away our personal and private liberties.
We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have been
stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who
spends months planning this type of massacre.
The real villain lies within our own hearts.
"As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his two
friends murdered before his very eyes, he did not hesitate to pray in
school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right! I challenge
every young person in America , and around the world, to realize that on
April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School prayer was brought back to our
schools. Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain.
Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation
that violates your God-given right to communicate with Him.
To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA --
I give to you a sincere challenge.
Dare to examine your
Own heart before casting the first stone!
My daughter's death will not be in vain! The young people of this country
will not allow that to happen!"
Do what the media did not - - let the nation hear this man's speech..
Part Time Work Opportunity
At the top right hand corner of Page 17 of the New
York Post of January 24th, 2009, was a short column entitled
"Replacing Michelle" in the National Review
"The Week" column.
I found this interesting, so here it is, word for word, as it appeared:
Some employees are simply irreplaceable. Take
Michelle Obama: The University of Chicago Medical center
hired her in 2002 to run "programs for community
relations, neighborhood outreach, volunteer recruitment,
staff diversity and minority contracting".
In 2005 the hospital raised her salary from $120,000
to $317,000 - nearly twice what her husband made as a
Senator.
Oh did we mention that her husband had just become a
US Senator? He sure had. Requested a $1 million earmark for
the UC Medical Center, in fact. Way to network Michelle!
But now that Mrs. Obama has resigned, the hospital
says her position will remain unfilled. How can that be, if
the work she did was vital enough to be worth $317,000?
We can think of only one explanation: Senator Roland
Burris's wife wasn't interested.
Let me add that Michelle's position was a half
time, 20 hour a week job. And to think they were critical
of Blagoyovich's wife for taking $100,000 in fuzzy real
estate commission.
My thoughts: How did this bit of quid pro quo
corruption escape the sharp reporters that dug through Sarah
Palin's garbage and kindergarten files? Unbelievable!
York Post of January 24th, 2009, was a short column entitled
"Replacing Michelle" in the National Review
"The Week" column.
I found this interesting, so here it is, word for word, as it appeared:
Some employees are simply irreplaceable. Take
Michelle Obama: The University of Chicago Medical center
hired her in 2002 to run "programs for community
relations, neighborhood outreach, volunteer recruitment,
staff diversity and minority contracting".
In 2005 the hospital raised her salary from $120,000
to $317,000 - nearly twice what her husband made as a
Senator.
Oh did we mention that her husband had just become a
US Senator? He sure had. Requested a $1 million earmark for
the UC Medical Center, in fact. Way to network Michelle!
But now that Mrs. Obama has resigned, the hospital
says her position will remain unfilled. How can that be, if
the work she did was vital enough to be worth $317,000?
We can think of only one explanation: Senator Roland
Burris's wife wasn't interested.
Let me add that Michelle's position was a half
time, 20 hour a week job. And to think they were critical
of Blagoyovich's wife for taking $100,000 in fuzzy real
estate commission.
My thoughts: How did this bit of quid pro quo
corruption escape the sharp reporters that dug through Sarah
Palin's garbage and kindergarten files? Unbelievable!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)