How To Get Fired - Careers Articles

I'm supposed to do this book review, but I don't really feel like reading the book. So, I'll just read the liner notes, make up some stuff about the book and go back to checking my Facebook page and drinking coffee. No one will ever know, since you'll probably never read the book anyway.

And, that is how I would start this article if I took to heart the tongue-in-cheek advice in a new book called 'How to Get Fired, The New Employee's Guide to Perpetual Unemployment' by Jeff Havens.

But, since I value my job and do have a good work ethic, I did read the book, and I'm actually going to take the time to write a review of it that hopefully will give you some insights.

Jeff Havens is a former English teacher-turned comedian and public speaker who has a very simple philosophy: Do exactly the opposite of what I tell you to do. In 'How To Get Fired,' Havens focuses his wit and wisdom on recent college grads who are either looking for their first job or, if they are lucky, actually working their first job.

If you are over 35, you'll read this book and probably laugh a lot because you know people who actually do what seems like incredibly stupid things on the job. If you are graduating from college or starting your career, you could learn a lot from the book.

Four Pillars of Poverty

Havens bases his "advice" on what he calls the Four Pillars of Poverty:

1. Fake your resume
2. Establish your incompetence
3. Destroy your work ethic
4. Alienate your coworkers

With chapter titles like "Treat Your Job Like College" and advice like how to sleep at your desk, the book is a slacker's guide to making sure you never hold a job longer than a couple of weeks. Of course, there is a serious side to this book, which Havens gets to at the end in a chapter titled "What You Really Need To Know." In that chapter, Havens does a great job of driving home the point that you need to take your job seriously and that it is your job to impress your employer, not the other way around. Some of what Havens says in this final chapter may sound a little "lecturish," but, trust me, a lot of people out there need this lecture.

Not just stories

What really impressed me about the the book was that Havens backs up the things he says with real-life facts and examples. He actually gathered statistics about the top reasons why people get fired. He pointed out some high-profile cases of people who got fired because they lied on their resumes, such as George O'Leary, former head football coach at Notre Dame. He got fired a week after being hired after the school discovered he didn't have the master's degree he claimed he had, and he lied about receiving three letters playing college football when he actually never played a game.

If you are in that over-35 crowd, you may look at the book and say to yourself, "Geez, don't people just know this stuff?" Trust me, the answer is "no." As both a former manager and a college professor, I can come up with hundreds of examples that Havens could have used in his book. There's the former employee who actually said she couldn't take on an assignment she was given because it would interfere with the time she needed at work to plan her wedding (true story!). Or, the student who asked me if she could postpone taking her final exam because she thought her boyfriend was dumping her (another true story!).

'How to Get Fired' is a great book to read if you are just getting started in the grownup world, or a great present to give a college student or recent grad to help set them on the right path.

You can check out more about the book, and watch Havens in action talking about the principles in his book, at his website, www.jeffhavens.com.

via jobs.aol.com

Posted via email from AndyWergedal

Company Career Sites - Consulting Firms - Secrets of the Job Hunt Career Podcast

Reposted from CareerAlley

“Sometimes it takes an expert to point out the obvious.” - Scott Allen

Consulting is "The act of providing information, analysis, and recommendations" and is a career choice that is very different than most. To be a successful consultant, you need to have great interpersonal skills, a high level of confidence, good communications skills and a particular area of expertise. It also doesn't hurt to be good at sales (in fact, it is a requirement at the more senior levels) and not mind traveling. Many consultants are "road warriors" for much of their careers. Continuing the series of posts targeting company career sites, today we review several consulting firms.

For an overview, please also read "Have you thought about consulting?".

• Accenture – Also on the Fortune’s Most Admired list, Accenture is best known for management consulting, technology services and outsourcing. Their career site has tabs at the top for Working Here, Career Options, Search Jobs and more. The middle of the page has a brief paragraph about the company and a number of other career search tools below this. You can explore where you fit by clicking “Find where you fit”. You can also explore career opportunities based on skill. Search Jobs requires that you use a drop down list of all of the countries where Accenture is located. Click you country from the list to see opportunities. There were over 1,000 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• Boston Consulting Group - Also a very well known and highly respected consulting firm. Their career page which includes background on the company, career path and how to apply. You can apply online or check out their college recruiting program if you are still in school.

• Bain & Company - According to their website, Bain & Company "is a global business consulting firm with offices in all major cities. We help management make the big decisions: on strategy, operations, mergers & acquisitions, technology and organization". Their careers page provides a brief overview, with tabs at the top of the page for This is Bain, Build your Career, Life at Bain and Apply to Bain. Click the "Apply to Bain" to see their process and apply.

• IBM Global Business Services - Most people don't think of IBM when they think of consulting (or consulting when the think of IBM), but this line of business represents a major portion of IBM's revenue. Their Business Consulting division provides diverse consulting offerings. The careers page for this division has excellent information on "why join us" as well as a listing of industry expertise. Click "career opportunities" on the left hand side of the screen and then "search for job openings". There were 526 job opportunities in this division when I checked the site.

• Oliver Wyman - Another international consulting firm, Oliver Wyman focuses on strategy, operations and risk management (plus some others). Their career site has a brief overview center page with links on the left hand side of the page for "Opportunity", "Impact", "Your Career" and more. There are links on the right hand side of the page for career tracks. Click the apply link if you are interested.

Good luck in your search.

via secretsofthejobhunt.com

Posted via email from AndyWergedal

Job Interview Preparation – Tips in Getting Ready For a Job Interview | EmploymentDigest.net

Before jumping off to your job interview, make sure you have been prepared and set for it. A job interview preparation is necessary for every applicant. There are a few things you need to consider for that big day – personal grooming, character, promptness and ethics. Most people are frightened with this kind of encounter, maybe because they are not prepared for it.

When you go out in a battlefield with less preparation, you might just be running off jittery and defeated. You need to create a good impression and make an outstanding recall from the employer. So here are some points to remember as part of your job interview preparation.

First, be educated with the company’s profile. When you want to be employed in a certain company, you have to know what they are doing in the industry. You need to research on their background, company achievements and milestones. Get necessary data on their organization – products, services and other relevant issues. Identify their mission and vision and try to make a connection with your career objectives.

Oftentimes, the interviewer might ask you on aligning your principles along with theirs. If you come across with negative facts, just leave it. Do not bring it up during the interview. Also, you need to be familiar with the position you are applying as well. Learn to identify its job description and other functions. You also need to know the location of the company. This is very important. This will help you estimate the time travel from your house to your destination – helping you to be prompt on your schedule.

Second, try practice answering job interview questions. You may ask someone to assess your answers. It is good to let a different point of view to evaluate your ability in answering. Plus, it will also help you gain confidence when talking to another person. When you are in an agency, there are some who may conduct mock interviews. These are helpful to measure your quality by going over to the feedback. You may also check online some common job interview questions and how to answer them. Here are some questions to practice for:

1. Why have you chosen this company?

2. How will you make an impact in this company?

3. Why should we hire you?

4. What are your qualifications that are suitable for the position offered or applied?

Third, ready your interview kit. This is a folder where essential documents are gathered. So that when you go out and have your interview, you don’t have to be so jumpy in looking for your documents. In this folder, you will have your resume or Curriculum Vitae, certificates, references and other essential files. The interviewer might start by having a quick scan on your resume and pose some questions. So you’d better study your resume well. Be familiar with the entries you’ve written. Because if you sound unsure with the resume-related questions, your employer might think you are lying. So answer honestly and clearly.

Lastly, as part of your job interview preparation, groom yourself. Days before your interview, you should have readied what clothes you are going to wear. Remember, even if you sound confident and positive, physical appearance is one of the factors to consider. You need to present that you are the whole package they are looking for.

 Landon Long is the founder of InterviewMastermind.com. You can download his FREE Video Course to learn about how to write a resume and stand out in a slow economy.

via employmentdigest.net

Posted via email from AndyWergedal

How Can He Sharpen His Resume's Focus - The Career Doctor Blog

Steve writes:

A friend who works in HR told me my resume is unfocused and too generic. How can I make it more focused?

---

The Career Doctor responds:

Here are ways to consider sharpening the focus of your resume:

• Use a branding statement or headline or both atop your resume.
• Add a profile/qualifications summary with keywords relevant to the job you seek.
• Add a keyword section relevant to the job you seek.
• Beef up portrayal of accomplishments and transferable skills. Be sure to spotlight skills that apply to what you want to do next.
• Use our Cover Letter and Resume Customization Worksheet to help you sharpen your focus.
• For college students and new grads: Consider adding class projects in your major (or other classes) that are applicable to what you want to do upon graduation.

Riskier options for sharpening your focus:

• Consider a chrono-functional format. Organize your resume around skills clusters that directly apply to the job you seek.
• Use an objective statement.

via careerdoctor.org

Posted via email from AndyWergedal

How To Get Fired - Careers Articles

I'm supposed to do this book review, but I don't really feel like reading the book. So, I'll just read the liner notes, make up some stuff about the book and go back to checking my Facebook page and drinking coffee. No one will ever know, since you'll probably never read the book anyway.

And, that is how I would start this article if I took to heart the tongue-in-cheek advice in a new book called 'How to Get Fired, The New Employee's Guide to Perpetual Unemployment' by Jeff Havens.

But, since I value my job and do have a good work ethic, I did read the book, and I'm actually going to take the time to write a review of it that hopefully will give you some insights.

Jeff Havens is a former English teacher-turned comedian and public speaker who has a very simple philosophy: Do exactly the opposite of what I tell you to do. In 'How To Get Fired,' Havens focuses his wit and wisdom on recent college grads who are either looking for their first job or, if they are lucky, actually working their first job.

If you are over 35, you'll read this book and probably laugh a lot because you know people who actually do what seems like incredibly stupid things on the job. If you are graduating from college or starting your career, you could learn a lot from the book.

Four Pillars of Poverty

Havens bases his "advice" on what he calls the Four Pillars of Poverty:

1. Fake your resume
2. Establish your incompetence
3. Destroy your work ethic
4. Alienate your coworkers

With chapter titles like "Treat Your Job Like College" and advice like how to sleep at your desk, the book is a slacker's guide to making sure you never hold a job longer than a couple of weeks. Of course, there is a serious side to this book, which Havens gets to at the end in a chapter titled "What You Really Need To Know." In that chapter, Havens does a great job of driving home the point that you need to take your job seriously and that it is your job to impress your employer, not the other way around. Some of what Havens says in this final chapter may sound a little "lecturish," but, trust me, a lot of people out there need this lecture.

Not just stories

What really impressed me about the the book was that Havens backs up the things he says with real-life facts and examples. He actually gathered statistics about the top reasons why people get fired. He pointed out some high-profile cases of people who got fired because they lied on their resumes, such as George O'Leary, former head football coach at Notre Dame. He got fired a week after being hired after the school discovered he didn't have the master's degree he claimed he had, and he lied about receiving three letters playing college football when he actually never played a game.

If you are in that over-35 crowd, you may look at the book and say to yourself, "Geez, don't people just know this stuff?" Trust me, the answer is "no." As both a former manager and a college professor, I can come up with hundreds of examples that Havens could have used in his book. There's the former employee who actually said she couldn't take on an assignment she was given because it would interfere with the time she needed at work to plan her wedding (true story!). Or, the student who asked me if she could postpone taking her final exam because she thought her boyfriend was dumping her (another true story!).

'How to Get Fired' is a great book to read if you are just getting started in the grownup world, or a great present to give a college student or recent grad to help set them on the right path.

You can check out more about the book, and watch Havens in action talking about the principles in his book, at his website, www.jeffhavens.com.

via jobs.aol.com

Posted via email from AndyWergedal

TheWiseJobSearch: Filling out job applications… Why and How?

In an age of online application processes, and emailed resumes, why do so many companies still have you fill out a paper job application when you arrive for an interview or before they make you an offer?

You would think they have all the information they need from you already, why is it necessary to have you fill out the paper form?

Is it necessary to duplicate everything on your resume onto the application? What exactly, are you signing?

These are common questions I get. The process of completing and returning the application to the potential employer can have consequences in your job search. Here are some things to consider when it’s presented to you:

They want your signature, EEOC information, and references. The primary reasons employers have candidates fill out an application in the hiring process is to get information that isn’t normally presented with a resume. Typically, an application includes fine print that states you are giving them permission to do a background check, including criminal checks, credit checks, drug tests, and reference checks. By signing the application, you are stating your approval.

Secondly, an application typically includes a section or a separate form that asks your race, sex, and other demographic information. Most companies are legally required to report the numbers of applicants by demographics and so they gather this for those statistical purposes. You are not required to fill this out, however, companies have strict rules as to how that information can be handled, so you can be assured it’s not used in the decision making process.

The application usually asks for references along with contact information to reach them.

Finally, the fine print also usually states that the information you’ve provided is true. The application often asks for prior convictions, dates of prior employment, titles, education, prior salaries, etc. Should it be found later that the information you’ve provided is false, it provides the company stronger legal ground to fire you.

These are the reasons you’re asked to submit the application… so how should you handle it?

Provide information selectively. In most cases, you will find that the employer does not have an objection if you ask to exclude, or delay, providing some of the information. The prior conviction information, signature to testify to the truth of the information you’ve provided and giving them permission for the background checks is generally not negotiable. They will likely require that from you and it will raise “red flags” if you decline.

However, they will often allow you to simply attach your resume and not require you to fill in all the job history information. The EEOC information is always your choice. And if you explain that you are happy to provide reference information at the time of a pending offer but would like to protect your references beforehand, you will generally find the employer agreeable to those terms. Certainly there may be exceptions, however, most employers tend to be flexible on those items.

Generally less information is to your advantage, but be smart! Not providing your prior salary, and reference information until further down the road is better for you in the hiring process. It enables you to be more in control. While I recommend you delay providing that kind of information early in the process, I would also caution against creating an adversarial relationship that might harm your chances of being considered further. There is no harm in asking if it would be OK to provide that information later. However, if the response is that they want it now, it only creates antagonism for you to object further. Use good judgment in deciding how far to push your objections.

Even in this age of computerized processing, it is very common for an employer to ask for a paper application. Consider the reasons, your objectives in the process, and be wise!

via thewisejobsearch.com

Posted via email from AndyWergedal

College Grad Job Search Resources - What You Think | CareerAlley

“I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I’m not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.” – Robert McCloskey

It doesn’t always have to be about me, sometimes it can be about you too. I get lots of emails suggesting links that many of you think will appeal to CareerAlley readers. I generally collect these until I have enough that is worth a dedicated post and today is your lucky day. So thanks to all of you who have submitted your ideas and please keep them coming!

• 10 Worst Work-Study Jobs in College – Obviously with the college student in mind and, at first glance you might not think there is any relevance, but think again. Having jobs while you are in college has an impact on how easy it will be for you to find a job when you get out. If you must work (and most of us must), try to avoid the worst jobs. This article, posted on Bestcollegesonline.net, provides a fairly extensive list of which jobs to avoid.

• Different Jobs in a Fire Department – Another article for those considering careers, this one is all about working in a Fire Department. There are lots of jobs you can consider – from Search and Rescue to Disaster Management, this article is worth a read if this is one of your career choices. There are additional resources on the left hand side of the page.

• 3 (Loving) Ways to Get Your Kids Out of the Basement – Okay, not really sure this is just for parents. It really wouldn’t hurt if you are a recent grad (with out a job yet) to read this as well. Why? The article is all about transition and, in case you haven’t noticed, that is exactly what recent grads go through as they transition to the job world. So, not only is this great advice for you, but you might want to forward the link to your parents as well. Don’t forget the Job Search tab at the top of the page.

• Ten Top Secret Job Search Tips – Not sure I exactly agree, but like I said, it is not always about me. Some of these are good tips, but I’m not sure these tips by themselves will help you find a job. Nevertheless, this article, posted on Jobs.AOL.com, takes a slightly different approach. Tips like Write and Exercise are an interesting slant. As interesting as the article are the comments to the article (which did make me think twice about this review).

• 3 Steps to Using LinkedIn to Find a New Job – This article, from Collegerecruiter.com’s blog, provide the basic steps for leveraging LinkedIn. It’s not just about registering, it’s about leveraging your connections and LinkedIn’s functionality. In addition to the three steps, there is a short video as well. Also take a look at The Top 10 LinkedIn Groups for Job Seekers.

Good luck in your search.

via careeralley.com

Posted via email from AndyWergedal