Unemployed people suck, right? Let’s not hire them. | JibberJobber Blog

I must be getting grumpy in my old age, with all of this venting I’m doing!  This post really ticks me off.  I just wrote a post on Peter Newfield’s Career Resumes blog (I’ve been blogging there for the last many months) titled The Unemployed Will Not Be Considered.  WHAT??? It comes from a Huffington Post article of a similar name… go check out Peter’s blog to see what I wrote.

This practice is archaic and out of touch with reality.  Do these companies, discriminating against those who are out on the street for no good reason, really think that only looking at currently employed people is going to get them the best talent?

What a fallacy.

The companies listed in the HuffPo article include:

• An “anonymous company” that has an opening posted at The People Place recruiting board.  Who made this decision, and why?
• Benchmark Electronics, who defends the policy saying they don’t want to waste their time with unqualified applicants.  I get that… but that doesn’t mean you should cut out all unemployed people.
• Sony Ericsson temporarily had this statement on their job descriptions: “NO UNEMPLOYED CANDIDATES WILL BE CONSIDERED AT ALL.”  Seriously, what outdated recruiting book did this come from??  At least they removed it once “it was noticed.”  (oops, one mark against copy and paste).
• An unnamed restaurant in NJ, looking for an assistant restaurant manager…. must be currently employed.
• An unnamed “top 25 CPA firm” in NYC, same thing.

Judy Conti (who needs my LinkedIn DVD – just look at her Profile!)  is the federal advocacy coordinator for the National Employment Law Project, and said some awesome stuff, including (read her comments in the last 2 paragraphs of the HuffPo article):

“In the current economy, where millions of people have lost their jobs through absolutely no fault of their own, I find it beyond unconscionable that any employer would not consider unemployed workers for current job openings,”

I agree.. beyond unconscionable.

via jibberjobber.com

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College Grads – This Ain’t Your Father’s Job Market » Blog | Great Resumes Fast

Guest Post by: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://Careeralley.com

What’s that sound you hear? Ah yes, the sound of the seconds ticking by on the “graduation clock”. And we all know how it goes down. Your father has been asking you for a year now (and, just to be clear, that is a year before you graduate) – “Have you started looking for a job yet?” But worse than that, you are getting all of this advice from the Old Man as well. And how old is your father? Probably late 40’s or early 50’s at best. What does he know about looking for a job in the 21st century? Well he may not know how to use Twitter and he (hopefully) doesn’t have a Facebook account, but believe it or not, the basic job search tools have not changed (Resume, Cover Letter, Elevator Speech, etc.). Yeah sure, the Internet was not a tool your father used for job hunting when he was your age (did they even have electricity back then?), but the process has not changed. One of the best places to start your search is on the College Career page of employers, and that is what is covered in this post.

• Internal Revenue Service – The IRS has a great College Student / Recent Grad page as part of their Careers section. There are tabs at the top for About IRS, Working at IRS and Opportunities. Center page provides an overview with a Search & Apply box. There is a short video on the right hand side of the screen (Meet Our Employees). Below this are a broad range of resources, including “Fun Career Tools”. There were 72 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• General Electric – GE is involved in way too many businesses to list here. There are over 300,000 people in over 100 locations (according to the website) and they are world-renowned for their management training programs . Their “University Students” page has links on the left hand side for Job Search, Careers, Why GE and more. Center page are links to their Undergraduate Leadership Programs, Internship and Co-ops programs and much more. To the right of this there is a link for “Start Your Job Search”. – there were 4,291 jobs opportunities when I checked the site.

• Disney Professional Internships – So we all know what Disney does, and they have a broad range of programs for High School and College Grads. Their Internships are well known and respected. Their students page has a Disney company overview followed by a listing of internship fields. Click the “Apply Now” button on the left hand side of the page to submit your details.

• The Hartford – The Hartford is known for both financial products and insurance. They employ over 31,000 employees and are in the Fortune 100. The College page of the Careers section provides a comprehensive list of links. Center page, there is a brief overview, followed by links for Full-Time Programs, Internships, Campus Recruiting and more. The left hand side of the page has similar links, plus additional links for other career related topics. Clicking on “View Opportunities for College Students” yields 13 College Student job opportunities plus 251 other job opportunities.

• Intel – Intel is know for computer chips and their college careers page is well done. The left hand side of the page is filled with relevant links (like Job Search, Intern/Grad Opportunities, a Jobs Blog and so much more). The center of the page starts “Get Started with Your Future” and has a listing of student centers by country. The left hand side of the page has a number of additional job search link. There were 480 job opportunities when I checked the page.

Good luck in your search.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

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HOW TO: Not Burn Bridges When You Resign | Personal Branding Blog - Dan Schawbel

As the job market bounces back, top talent is moving on from organizations that treated them less than fair during the Great Recession. Regardless, my policy is to never burn a bridge if you can help it. Is it possible to resign on good terms? Absolutely!

Remove emotion from the situation

Easier said than done, I know, but your brand is at stake if you don’t. Treat the situation as a business – not personal – decision. After all, life-altering decisions such as resigning from a job should be approached with a cool head and not taken lightly.

Schedule a meeting

Don’t just waltz into your boss’ office unannounced. Always schedule a meeting in advance, and let him or her know you’d like to discuss your position at the organization. That way, your supervisor can mentally prepare.

Get it in writing

Like all business transactions, resigning from a job should be in writing for the organization’s records. Make sure you include the important information right up front: the fact that you are resigning and the effective date of your resignation.

In the second paragraph, thank your supervisor for as many things as possible – wonderful learning opportunities, great co-workers, etc. Go out on a high note even if you are leaving for a bad reason!

In the final paragraph, offer to help find and train a replacement for yourself, and wish your supervisor and the organization the best of luck in the future. Again, no matter what your supervisor’s reaction might be, you want to take the high road the whole way.

Note that I did not instruct you to include information about why you are leaving or where you are going. You will likely be asked this during an exit interview, but do not need to include it in your resignation letter.

Keep your promises

Did you promise to help find your replacement? Do it. Did you assure your supervisor you’d help train the next person in your role? Don’t back out.

What other tips would you suggest to not burn bridges when resigning from a job?

Author:

Heather R. Huhman is a career expert and founder & president of Come Recommended, an exclusive online community connecting the best internship and entry-level job candidates with the best employers. She is also the author of #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle (2010), national entry-level careers columnist for Examiner.com and blogs about career advice at HeatherHuhman.com.

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Frequently Asked Interview Questions » Blog | Great Resumes Fast

Your resume looks fabulous, and you’ve been getting tons of calls from companies that want to interview you.  Your interview preparation should include looking at the employer’s Web site in order to familiarize yourself with the specifics of the business.  However, keep in mind that employers already know about their company, and therefore are most interested in learning about YOU during an interview.  Here are some questions interviewers love to ask:

What is it that appeals to you about this position?

As you apply for different jobs, it’s a good idea to save the job description for each position with a recognizable file name.  Before your interview, you can review the job description and give some thought to not only what makes the job interesting to you, but also why your qualifications offer a good fit.  Employers use this question to determine whether you’re genuinely interested in the opening—or just trying to find a job … any job.

What would your previous supervisors or coworkers say about you?

If you’ve never thought about other people’s perspectives of your work, this question can catch you off guard in an interview.  Prior to your interview, take some time to remember any compliments previous coworkers have given you, or strengths your previous supervisors have noted during performance evaluations.  Then, rather than speculating on what previous coworkers might say, you can offer a concrete story from the past.

What are you still working on as a professional?

This is a simple rewording of the traditional, “What are your weaknesses as an employee?”  It’s good to have an answer ready to go for this question.  Every employee has areas in which there are opportunities for growth, but it’s important to have an answer prepared that you’ll feel good about when the interview is over.

Why did you leave your last job?

If you were terminated from your last position or you left due to personal conflicts, this is another question for which you should be prepared.  Lying in an interview can be grounds for future termination, so it’s important that you find a way to represent yourself both honestly and professionally.

What are you looking for in your next job?

This type of inquiry makes it sound as though an employer is interested in your personal wants and interests, but that’s sometimes not the true reason for the question.  Employers often use this question to rule out people who are looking for something other than what their opportunity provides.  For instance, if you are asked this question by the hiring manager for a busy police department, and you answer that you’re looking for a peaceful, calm working environment, you will appear to be a poor fit.  Your answer to this question should be in line with something the employer can offer you—like the opportunity to grow with the company or to perform community service with coworkers.

Preparation is the key.

People who have to present themselves in front of others spend a lot of time preparing.  Just think about all the prep time put in by pageant contestants, legal witnesses, or political candidates.  An interview is your chance to present yourself in the most favorable light possible.  It’s important to prepare—and to have great answers ready for the tough questions.

via greatresumesfast.com

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When Elevator Speeches Don’t Work for You | FreelanceSwitch

Permit me to introduce you to my mouth, the black hole from which no elevator speech can escape.

For some reason, which is probably embedded in my DNA, I’ve never been very good devising short, catchy descriptions of what I do for and how people will benefit from it. It’s to the point where, if someone asks, I’ll say, “I mangle elevator speeches!” Or words to that effect.

This is a common affliction, and one that isn’t just limited to creative freelancers. A few years ago, I was listening to a radio comedy show that is famous (or infamous) for the host’s penchant for wandering around the theater and mingling with audience members. During one broadcast, the host encountered a dentist. When asked what he did for a living, the dentist said, “I’m a smile designer.”

I could have sworn that I heard that man grimacing over the radio. He was obviously uncomfortable using such clever marketing-speak to describe his profession.

What’s worse, the host and the rest of the audience found the concept of “smile designer” to be hilariously funny. I’m willing to bet that the dentist went back to using the D-word to describe himself.

Okay, so you’re not a dentist. And you don’t play one on the radio. But you’re still going to be faced with situations when catchy self-introductions are called for. How can you make them work for you? Here are three solutions:

1.  Don’t just rely on words. Fifteen years ago, I was a member of a women’s networking group here in Tucson. I was trying to get established in the web design field, and I’d heard that attending this group’s meetings would be good for my business. Well, to make a long story short, hauling a website into a meeting just wasn’t going to work. (After all, this was 1995.) But there was another member who did packaging design. And she had a habit of bringing jigsaw puzzle boxes to the meetings so she could use them as “show and tell” pieces. Members never failed to marvel at them.

Well, times have certainly changed, haven’t they? There’s nothing that forbids web people from holding up a smart phone or an iPad showing examples of the latest designs. Same goes for photographers. Why not share postcards featuring your latest corporate portrait work? You could also be like the guy who gave out mugs that likened a programmer to a machine that turns coffee into code. Whatever is in good taste that makes you memorable, right?

2.  Poke fun at the whole idea of elevator speeches. Join me in being a butcher of them. Or come up with your own satirical shtick. Be like American late night TV host David Letterman and create a Top 10 List featuring the Stupidest Elevator Speeches. (Smile designers, beware!) Instead of enduring an awkward introductory moment, you and your conversation partners can work on building that list.

3. Find an elevator speech therapist. Instead of trying to come up with your own elevator speech, have a friend or trusted colleague help you.

After all, those pesky “What do you do?” questions aren’t going away, so you might as well make your peace with elevator speeches. And, for a little bit of Freelance Switch help in this area, read Will Kenny’s article as you work with your elevator speech therapist.

Tip: Your elevator speech therapist should be clever, but not overly so. After all, you need to be comfortable with what you’re going to use. Otherwise, you’ll come across like that reluctant smile designer.

Here’s an example of just the right amount of cleverness: I have a highly unusual last name, one that’s a real challenge to say and spell. A former boss devised this handy guide: “It’s like ‘metallic’ except that you put an ‘R’ at the beginning and a ‘k’ after the ‘c’.”

I don’t know how she came up such a thing – it had never occurred to me. But “Metallic-Retallick” felt right from the moment I heard it – and that was 20 years ago. (Thanks, boss!)

via freelanceswitch.com

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Taking “Fail Fast” to a whole… ‘nutha… level

The definition for Human that you provide sounds like it’s basing it off of a Christian point of view, more specifically that man was perfect until Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit and were kicked out of the garden. The only reason I bring that up is that among the adjectives describing Human are mortal, flesh and blood, fallible, weak, imperfect. — All adjectives and ideas that are brought about based on the fall of man from the presence of God who was immortal, perfect, and unable to err.

I imagine if the dictionary was re-written today from a business point of view, you’d get a few different adjectives in there, like determined, opinionated, resourceful, etc.

I’m just saying, that when it comes down to it, definitions are a matter of perspective. When I used to participate in debate both parties would have to agree on a specific definition, otherwise you’d both be arguing against your own thoughts on the matter.

Well, that’s my 2 cents anyway. I enjoyed your post.
.-= Chris Mower’s latest blog post: How to Brainstorm for Success: Part 1 – An Introduction to Brainstorming =-.

Reply

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Personal Development Is Dying - Secrets of the Job Hunt Career Podcast

What happens to the training budgets and staff when a company is in financial trouble? They are cut, right.

What kind of budget does a small company (1-100 employees) have for training there workers on soft skills?

Where is the average employee getting their soft skills training today?

Are colleges and universities specifically developing self-awareness knowledge in their curricula?

These are the questions we need to think about and answer. We need leaders. We need good employees that won't leave due to poor management or unhealthy work cultures. This can't change unless we invest in the personal development of our workforce.

I've worked for a large law firm and smaller companies and I can honestly say that I have only received soft skill training once. OK, maybe twice, if you call Diversity Training soft skill development.

If this is indicative of what others have not experienced, we are all in trouble.

How do we expect to have a company of innovators and strategic leaders if we haven't taught them how to communicate effectively with different personalities or if they don't know how to manage their emotions? Do we expect a one-time seminar or workshop will "fix" them?

So maybe it isn't about "training" per se, but about building a mentoring program which would supply regular feedback and coaching and development.

Emotional Intelligence is a key factor to an individuals success in life and the job. Where are we supposed to go to learn how to develop our Emotional Intelligence? Todd Bavol of Adventures of the Job Search Ninja wrote a super post about Emotional Intelligence and if you are wondering what it is, here are the five elements as he simply defines them:

1. Knowing your emotions
2. Managing your emotions
3. Self-motivation
4. Recognizing and understanding the emotions of others
5. Managing relationships or, to put it another way, managing the emotions of others

These are the areas we should be developing. Improvement in these areas will make us better, stronger, more employable, better innovators, better leaders. Or so I think. What are your thoughts? Where is this training happening?

via secretsofthejobhunt.com

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